CNET has an interesting post up detailing what we can expect in the next generation ARM processor. Just yesterday we took a look at the iPhone 3G’s ARM 11 vs. the new iPhone 3G S’ Cortex ARM8 and the difference was impressive — most impressive. Well, next year is promising a dual-core ARM Cortex A9…!
Icebike sent this in, wondering out loud: “Is it too soon to start speculating on 2010?” And the simple answer is “no, no it’s not!” It’s longstanding practice here at TiPb to wait a polite 1.372 seconds after a new iPhone model is introduced, and then begin with “So, next year–”
That spirit in mind, TiPb can’t help but wonder what this, combined with multi-core PowerVR GPU’s, wrapped up into custom system-on-chips by Papermaster, the PA Semi team, and all those new GPU gurus toiling away in Steve’s basement, means for a 2010 iPhone? (No, I won’t call it an iPhone HD — yet!)
At the very least, I think DC comics is going to have to invent us a faster Flash!
Posted on Saturday, Jun 13, 2009 by Rene Ritchie
File Under:News; Tags: anandtech, arm, arm cortex a8, chipset, cpu, gpu, iphone 3G S, powervr sgx, speeds and feeds
Anandtech gives their usual in-depth look at the processors inside Apple’s new iPhone 3G S. First the CPU, the new ARM Cortex A8 and the short of it is — if the iPhone 2G and 3G were old 486 PCs, the iPhone 3G S would be a Pentium:
As for the GPU, the PowerVR SGX — even if it’s clocked down to half-speed, it’s rendering geometry 3.5x faster with a fill rate 25% higher as well:
Their take away? Well, they say the iPhone 3G S packs a similar hardware punch to the new Palm Pre, but while webOS uses some of that power for 3rd party multitasking, Apple’s “highly optimized software stack” will bring the speed.
And that only scratches the surface. For the gritty details, check out the full article.
[Thanks to Damon for the tip!]
T-Mobile Netherlands (via Wired) has let slip the formerly elusive specs for the iPhone 3G S:
Anandtech (via Macrumors) gives further info:
Although unannounced, the iPhone 3GS uses (again) a Samsung SoC but this time instead of the ARM11 + MBX-Lite combo it’s got a Cortex A8 and PowerVR SGX; just like the [Palm] Pre.
So add that to the fast PowerVR SGX graphics core, and — to quote Steve Jobs — it’s a screamer!
Update: Apple Insider has a great run down of the technology inside the chipsets.
MacRumors has come across an Apple job listing for someone with:
excellent understanding and knowledge of processor architecture, specifically ARM and its vector unit NEON. Additional Intel SSE or PowerPC AltiVec is also very helpful. Being able to use processor micro-architecture to write and deliver fast routines is an essential attribute.
Neon, they remind us, is the brand name for the ARMv7 Cortex, the next-generation of the processor Apple uses in the current iPhone and iPod touch.
What’s not yet clear is whether Apple will tap the multi-core potential of the ARMv7 Cortex to really shift multimedia performance into the mobile stratosphere. However, another tantalizing glimpse into the iPhone’s potential future is revealed in a second job listing, this one for an engineer with:
Experience developing embedded image and video processing solutions. Experience developing embedded image and video analysis solutions. Experience working on real-time media and networking applications (WiFi and cellular networks).
Of course, we won’t keep our fingers crossed too hard for those iTunes Replay, personalized podcast streaming, or remote DVR access patents Apple has teases us with in the past…
We’ve heard before that, among other things, iPhone OS 3.0 would support quad-core processors. Of course, we haven’t seen these processors yet, but now ST-Ericsson and ARM have announced they’ll be giving a private sneak peak at one at Mobile World Congress. (Via MacRumors):
The technological breakthrough is the first of its kind and is based on the ARM(R) Cortex(TM)-A9 multicore processor, which represents a significant leap from previous generations of baseband/application processor architectures by providing unprecedented levels of performance and power efficiency.
Combined with previous rumors of OpenCL support allowing the faster, betterPowerVR graphics cores to boost general processing as well, and 802.11n mobile WiFi chips future iPhone generations could be, as Steve Jobs is so fond of putting it, real screamers.
Better hardware (especially more RAM) could, of course, encourage Apple to allow more 3rd party multi-tasking. Maybe even make the leap to iPhone HD? (In a matt black finish?!)
According to Macrumors, Adobe and ARM, which is the chipset Apple uses to power the iPhone, have announced they’re making a special version optimized for mobile devices. (And, yes, to be snarky, I’ll believe that when I get a version optimized for Intel on the Mac, b’okay?)
Never the less, none other than chief Androidika Andy Rubin himself showed up at Adobe MAX today to show off Flash running on that other handset — the one I’m Round Robin‘ing this week, the G1.
Will that put pressure on Apple? Or if people start suffering Flash exploits, are subjected to Flash cookies, or get tired of jumping monkey ads, will it only harden Apple’s resolve?
Some Intel Execs must be still quite jealous that Apple went with the ARM architecture for the iPhone and left Intel waiting at the altar. At a Intel Developer Forum in Taipei, Taiwan, two Intel Execs claimed that the iPhone struggles with “any sort of application that requires any horse power” and that Apple fell short in delivering a full internet browsing experience.
Huh. Color us confused. We’ve been using the iPhone as our daily driver since it came out and we thought that this was the most–or at least one of the more– powerful phones on the market. We’ve been using apps and playing games that show off the pure power of the iPhone that no other phone can run. And that Internet we browse on Mobile Safari? I guess that’s not best-in-class either. Though we still can’t seem to find a comparable experience, well, anywhere.
The ARM architecture may have its faults but to say the iPhone is slow, underpowered, and fails to deliver the Internet? Did these guys even use the thing? I think good ‘ol Intel should give the TiPb headquarters a visit and we’ll show them how the iPhone, of this world, works.
What do you guys think? Does the iPhone really suck that much? Or has Intel gone crazy?
Photo Credit: Suzanne Tindal/ZDNet
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We love it when a plan comes together. What plan? How’bout Apple buying super low-power fabless chip design firm Palo Alto Semiconductor (PA Semi) back on April 23, which Steve Jobs later said would make “system-on-chips” for the iPhone and iPod? How about PowerVR graphics cores reaching a mega-licensing deal with an unnamed company? (Which might just rhyme with Snapple…) And how about now, a Mr. Wei-han Lien, formerly of PA Semi, updating his Linked[In] profile to read: “Senior Manager Chip CPU Architect at Apple”, and more specifically, “ARM CPU architecture team for iPhone”? (ARM having reportedly also reached a long term licensing deal with an unnamed company)
Put them all together, and what do we get? A scary hardcore look at what will drive the next (and/or next after next) iPhone v3. And according to Macrumors:
By developing its own ARM variant, Apple could create a processor that meets the specific needs of the iPhone and iPod, building support for functions such as the touch screen or scroll wheel into silicon and possibly savings on costs by reducing the number of processors needed in each device. In addition, Apple’ will be able to maintain tighter controls on who knows what about its future products by disposing of an outside chip supplier.
Wanna bet Steve calls them “screamers”? And Carmack claims PS2-class gaming?
Got an iPhone or iPod Touch? Then you’ve already got a PowerVR graphics core crunching your eye candy. This week, however, Imagination Technologies revealed that an “unnamed company” has acquired a new mega-license for their current and future tech.
While this could be Apple and could just mean incremental adaption of new graphics cores going forward, tie it together with some other recent news and rumors, including the equally “unnamed” deal with current iPhone/iPod Touch processor licensor, ARM, and Apple’s more public acquisition of fabless chip design firm Palo Alto Semiconductor (PA Semi), and MacRumors thinks something bigger could be in the works:
Apple is positioning itself to deliver custom chipsets based on existing iPhone technologies for future devices.
We agree. iPhones and iPods aren’t the Mac, where a unique chipset (PowerPC) lacking the volume needed for competitive pricing led to Apple’s famed Intel switch (and the rebirth of the black/grey market clones). Handsets and iPods, and whatever else becomes part of Apple’s new Mobile WiFi Platform could just leverage some custom hardware not only for differentiation, but to deliver that advanced, “unmatchable” technology Apple keeps harping on about.
