Apple iPhone 'to use PortalPlayer chip'

MP3 player chip maker PortalPlayer will see one of its media processors integrated into Apple's much-rumoured iPhone, a US analyst has claimed. And since PortalPlayer should soon be a Nvidia subsidiary, the deal, if true, is good news for the graphics chip company too.

Actually, doubly so since, according to Friedman, Billings, Ramsey & Co analyst Chris Caso, cited by EETimes, one of Nvidia's mobile GPUs has found its way into the upcoming video-centric iPod about which there has been almost as much online speculation as the iPhone. The Nvidia deal was first suggested back in July this year.

Caso said he expects the iPhone - one to two mobile phone products Apple is said to be developing - to be announced late Q1 2007, which lengthens the odds on a January Macworld Expo introduction.

The video-centric iPod will not contain a PortalPlayer chip but one from Samsung, wrote Caso, a claim consistent with past comments from both Samsung and from Portal player.

Caso maintained Nvidia pitched Apple with a future GPU with integrated media processing facilities, a move that may have led to the decision to buy PortalPlayer. ®