What processor do the iPod, iPod mini, iPod nano, iPod touch, and iPod shuffle models use?: Everyi.com

iPod Q&A - Updated November 21, 2011

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What processor do the iPod, iPod mini, iPod nano, iPod touch, and iPod shuffle models use?

Apple provides no official information regarding the processors used to power the iPod models.

Starting with the iPod nano 2nd Gen, the company has gone as far as having the processor custom branded with an Apple logo to make it more difficult to determine its origins. However, the below chart is believed to be accurate.

iPod Name	Processor	Details
iPod (Original/Scroll)	PP5002	PortalPlayer PP5002 "system on a chip" with dual embedded 90 MHz ARM 7TDMI processors.
iPod 2nd Gen	PP5002
iPod 3rd Gen 10/15/30	PP5002
iPod 3rd Gen 10/20/40	PP5002
iPod 3rd Gen 15/20/40	PP5002
iPod 4th Gen ClickWheel	PP5020	PortalPlayer PP5020 "system on a chip" with dual embedded variable speed 80 MHz ARM 7TDMI processors.
iPod U2 4th Gen	PP5020
iPod photo (30)	PP5020
iPod photo (40/60)	PP5020
iPod Color Display	PP5020
iPod U2 Edition (Color)	PP5020
iPod mini	PP5020
iPod mini 2nd Gen	PP5020
iPod 5th Gen (Video)	PP5021C	PortalPlayer PP5021C "system on a chip" with dual embedded variable speed 80 MHz ARM 7TDMI processors. For video decoding, these models use a Broadcom VideoCore BCM2722 processor.
iPod U2 5th Gen	PP5021C
iPod 5th Gen - Enhanced	PP5021C	The "Enhanced" 5th Gen iPod models are believed to use the same processors as the 5th Gen models.
iPod U2 5th Gen Enh.	PP5021C
iPod classic 6th Gen	Samsung ARM	Apple provides no information on the processor used in the iPod classic (6th Gen) models, but it uses an Apple branded processor, believed to be a Samsung ARM. For more information, please refer to iFixit's disassembly guide.
iPod classic (2008)	Samsung ARM	Apple provides no information on the processor used in the iPod classic (6th Gen/Late 2008) models, but it uses an Apple branded processor, believed to be a Samsung ARM like its predecessor.
iPod nano	PP5021C	PortalPlayer PP5021C "system on a chip" with dual embedded 80 MHz ARM 7TDMI processors.
iPod nano 2nd Gen	Samsung ARM	Apple provides no information on the processor used in the iPod nano 2nd Gen models, but each uses an Apple branded processor, believed to be a Samsung ARM. For in-depth speculation regarding all of the chips used, please refer to ArsTechnica's iPod nano 2nd Gen "autopsy."
iPod nano 2nd Gen RED	Samsung ARM
iPod nano 3rd Gen/Fat	Samsung ARM	Apple provides no information on the processor used in the iPod nano 3rd Gen models, but each uses an Apple branded processor, believed to be a Samsung ARM. For more information, please refer to iFixit's disassembly guide.
iPod nano 4th Gen	Samsung ARM	Apple provides no information on the processor used in the iPod nano 4th Gen models, but each uses an Apple branded processor, believed to be a Samsung ARM. For more information, please refer to iFixit's disassembly guide.
iPod nano 5th Gen	Samsung ARM	Apple provides no information on the processor used in the iPod nano 5th Gen models, but each uses an Apple branded processor, believed to be a Samsung ARM. For more information, please refer to iFixit's disassembly guide.
iPod nano 6th Gen	Samsung ARM	Apple provides no information on the processor used in the iPod nano 6th Gen models, but it is believed to use a Samsung ARM like its predecessors.
iPod shuffle	STMP 3550	Uses a 75 MHz SigmaTel D-Major STMP 3550 processor.
iPod shuffle 2nd Gen	Samsung ARM	Apple provides no information on the processor used in the iPod shuffle 2nd Gen models, but it uses an Apple branded processor, believed to be a Samsung ARM.
iPod shuffle 3rd Gen	Samsung ARM	Apple provides no information on the processor used in the iPod shuffle 3rd Gen models, but it uses an Apple branded processor, believed to be a Samsung ARM. For more information, please refer to iFixit's "teardown."
iPod shuffle 3rd Gen Color	Samsung ARM	Apple provides no information on the processor used in the iPod shuffle 3rd Gen (Colors) models, but it uses an Apple branded processor, believed to be a Samsung ARM. For more information, please refer to iFixit's "teardown."
iPod shuffle 4th Gen	Samsung ARM	Apple provides no information on the processor used in the iPod shuffle 4th Generation models, but it uses an Apple branded processor, believed to be a Samsung ARM.
iPod touch	Samsung ARM	Apple provides no information on the processor used in the iPod touch models, but it uses an Apple branded processor, believed to be a Samsung ARM running at 400 MHz. For more information, please refer to iFixit's disassembly guide.
iPod touch 2nd Gen	Samsung ARM	Apple provides no information on the processor used in the iPod touch 2nd Gen models, but third-party "teardowns" indicate that it uses an Apple branded Samsung ARM processor running at 533 MHz. For more information, please refer to iFixit's disassembly guide.
iPod touch 3rd Gen	Samsung ARM	Apple provides no information on the processor used in the iPod touch 3rd Gen models, but third-party "teardowns" indicate that the 32 GB and 64 GB configurations use an Apple branded Samsung ARM processor running at 800 MHz. For more information, please refer to iFixit's disassembly guide.
iPod touch 4th Gen	Apple A4	Like the original iPad and iPhone 4, the iPod touch (4th Generation) uses a custom ARM-based "system on a chip" that Apple refers to as an "Apple A4" processor. It integrates the CPU, graphics, the memory controller, and I/O functions.
iPod touch "4.5" Gen	Apple A4	The iPod touch "4.5" Gen uses the same Apple A4 processor as the 4th Gen model.

Should you have additional, or alternate, information about the processors used in the iPod please share.

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