ARM: multicore mobiles coming next year

 

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Posted on 29 Oct 2009 at 07:35

British chip designer ARM says smartphones will be running on multicore processors by this time next year.

Speaking at a showcase of ARM-powered devices in central London - encompassing everything from the new Nokia N900 Linux smartphone to a remarkably thin prototype netbook - the company's mobile segment manager, Laurence Bryant, told PC Pro that smartphone performance is set to take a considerable leap forward.

"Wind forward a year, and you'll see multicore processors starting to appear in these [smartphone] devices," Bryant said. Indeed, the the Cortex A5 processor ARM unveiled earlier this month is available in up to quad-core configurations.

ARM claims that smartphones already have comparable processing power to netbooks, and that performance will only increase with the arrival of multicore, especially for multitasking.

However, as with multicore PC processors, ARM admits that performance increases begin to drop off as you add more cores. "Naturally, you get diminishing returns on more cores," Bryant admitted. "You can't have both processor cores running on the same task."

ARM claims it's been working with mobile companies to overcome the challenge of running tasks concurrently on multiple cores. "We announced we were going multicore three or four years ago. Symbian was there working with us at a very early stage. Linux is already there," Bryant added.

Thinner, cheaper netbooks

ARM's ambitions aren't restricted to smartphones. The company is also taking on Intel in the netbook arena, and a device on display at the event gave an indication of how ARM's processors may help breathe new life into the market.

The prototype device, manufactured by Pegatron (which produces netbooks for Asus, among others), was as delectably thin as the 4.4mm Sony VAIO X-Series. ARM explained this was because the energy-efficient processor - which includes the CPU and graphics processor on a single chip - doesn't require any fans or even a heat sink. The low power requirements also allow Pegatron to include a slender three-cell battery, shaving millimetres and weight off the device.

Unlike the £1,300 X-Series, however, ARM claims the prototype device will help rejuvenate the budget netbook market. Bryant said that type of netbook was expected to ship for "considerably less" than £200.

Author: Barry Collins