Apple wants to make chips too

Apple's iPhone is winning one accolade after another and the company wants to create its own chips, first for computers and later, perhaps, for its popular mobiles too

Apple wants to make chips too

Apple's iPhone is winning one accolade after another and the company wants to create its own chips, first for computers and later, perhaps, for its popular mobiles too

Few of us have reason to cheer these days except perhaps for winning IPL players and people in the medical field, which is said to be recession-proof but Apple seems to have found something to make it smile.

One good news for Apple is that the company has topped a survey from J D Power and Associates, which has, in its 2009 Wireless Consumer Smartphone Customer Satisfaction Studyu2014Volume 1, ranked it number one with a score of 791 out of 1,000 points, way ahead of the industry average (751 points) and comfortably ahead of its nearest competitor, LG (772 points).

Chipping in

Any other company would be pleased to be in Apple's shoes, but Apple is pushing the envelope by contemplating creating its own chips. While these are admittedly going to impact its computer line initially, it could soon have a revolutionary role to play insofar as iPhones are concerned too.

According to Ian Paul's blog on pcworld.com, some features that Apple may be looking to improve with its own chips include energy efficiency, graphics capability for gaming and high definition video, handwriting technology, and display management.

Facing criticism

While the end result is bound to be good for the user, one problem could be that Apple may become completely inward looking. In fact, while people have had little to complain about in the context of Apple's innovative products, there is always the irksome issue of Apple not creating an opportunity for the industry to grow.

But while such criticism needs to be addressed, there is little that one can say against their technology, and this innovation too might spur the rest of the industry to play catch-up and create better products.

Looking ahead

It is hard to argue with success and Apple will have no need to create an open architecture until something drastic happens. Why should we change, the company will argue, as long as customers are satisfied? And once again, it is hard to fault the company this stance. After all, the customer is king.

One possible competitor who could do this is LG. In the J D Power and Associates Survey, while LG stood second with 772 points in the smartphone category, it topped the 2009 Wireless Traditional Mobile Phone Satisfaction Study with a total of 733 points. If LG manages to take on Apple, then the latter may realise that innovation might not come from following a closed approach.

Cutting the cord
Ok, so you have got a mobile, but what of your landline? Are you still using it? Smart phone users are keener on stopping usage of the landline as compared to traditional phone users. According to the J D Power and Associates survey, more than 40 per cent of smartphone users reported entirely replacing landline calling with mobile phone calling, while only 28 per cent of traditional handset owners have done the same.