M7 MOTION CO-PROCESSOR

Besides the A7, Apple has also unveiled the M7, a new chip that continuously measures motion data from the accelerometer, gyroscope, and compass. Before the iPhone 5S, the load of tracking these data fell on the main processor, which was an overkill. By transferring this load to the M7 - which Chipworks has identified as NXP Semiconductors' NXP LPC18A1 silicon (http://gohwz.ws/1eARHDw) - it allows for a longer battery life on the iPhone 5S; for example, the phone will reduce network checks when it detects that it hasn't moved for a while.

More importantly, the M7 is available for third-party developers to take advantage of through its CoreMotion API, which opens up a wealth of possibilities. For instance, a fitness app can draw physical activity data from the M7 without constantly engaging the A7, and this data will be super-accurate because it comes directly from the phone's sensors. Unlike a separate health or fitness device, there's no bracelet to wear (and to lose), and there's no cumbersome Bluetooth syncing process. Also, because the M7 never stops collecting data, an app will have data to act upon from the get-go. To give another example, a navigation app will know when you're driving and when you're walking, and switch the functionality accordingly.

The Nike+ Move app is the first app to be introduced to support the M7 chip. Besides tracking your daily activity to offer a FuelBand-like experience, it even ties in with Game Center. However, as of this writing, it's not yet released on the App Store.