Apple A9

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<div style="font: bold 2em/1.2 -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'SF Pro Display', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; color: var(--wiki-color);">Apple A9</div>
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! class="ios-lab" | Designer
| class="ios-val" | [[Apple]]
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! class="ios-lab" | Introduced
| class="ios-val" | September 2015 ([[iPhone 6s]])
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! class="ios-lab" | Process
| class="ios-val" | 16 nm TSMC / 14 nm Samsung (dual-sourced)
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! class="ios-lab" | CPU
| class="ios-val" | Dual-core "Twister", 1.85 GHz
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! class="ios-lab" | GPU
| class="ios-val" | PowerVR GT7600
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! class="ios-lab" | Devices
| class="ios-val" | [[iPhone 6s]] · [[iPhone 6s Plus]] · [[iPhone SE]] (1st) · iPad (2017)
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! class="ios-lab" | Predecessor
| class="ios-val" | [[Apple A8]]
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! class="ios-lab" | Successor
| class="ios-val" | [[Apple A10]]
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{{Apple silicon Navbox}}

The Apple A9 powered the [[iPhone 6s]] generation from September 2015 — 70% faster CPU, 90% faster GPU, and the chip behind always-on "Hey Siri" via its embedded M9 coprocessor. It is remembered equally for "chipgate": Apple dual-sourced it from TSMC (16 nm) and Samsung (14 nm), benchmark forums erupted over battery differences Apple measured at 2–3%, and checking one's chip foundry briefly became a consumer ritual.

= Legacy =

Chipgate ended Apple's dual-sourcing era — TSMC has fabricated Apple's chips exclusively since — and the A9's decade of software support (iOS 9 through the 2025 security tail) set the longevity standard for the whole industry.

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