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Rumors give 2012 iPhone shiny new chip, 1GB of RAM, mystery iOS app
We've potentially seen a lot of the next iPhone's exterior; it may be the interior's time for a shakedown, as an unusually detailed rumor out of 9to5 Mac has claimed scads more about the processor and iOS 6. Going by the tips, the 2012 design would use an S5L8950X, a processor with unknown specs but likely a step ahead of what we've seen in the iPhone 4S (8940X) and new iPad (8945X). There would likewise be a new spin on the PowerVR SGX543 graphics from the iPad as well as 1GB of RAM -- which doesn't sound like much next to a 2GB Galaxy S III, but stands to produce a similar speed boost for a lightweight platform like iOS. As for iOS 6 itself, the software is supposedly using underlying code newer than recent OS X Mountain Lion builds and is dumping Google Maps, as some have claimed ever since iPhoto for iOS made that step in the spring. The new Maps app (possibly pictured here) is said to be rough, but the OS as a whole could be coming along so swimmingly that Apple might have no trouble shipping on time. As always, we're skeptical when so much detail is in flux. The rumor still jives with much more tangible behavior from Apple, such as its experimentation with 32-nanometer processors and a tendency for Apple to refine the chip from the current year's iPad for the iPhone months later. We may know the accuracy soon enough: more leaks are promised in the next two weeks, including an "entirely new iOS app."
Qualcomm hires former AMD CTO, makes 'em pay for dropping mobile
Qualcomm is hiring AMD's former CTO Eric Demers to help the company produce a blockbuster mobile graphics chip. It needs the silicon for its big push for smartphone dominance (and tablets running Windows RT) in the face of strong competition from Imagination Technologies' Series 6 PowerVR and NVIDIA's Tegra 3. Demers' first job will be to merge Qualcomm's in-house Adreno team with ATI's Imageon mobile graphics chip team, which AMD flogged off for $65 million back in 2009 -- a move Sunnyvale is probably regretting now that it too is trying to get its hardware into mobile devices, unless it included a do-over clause in the sales contract.
Imagination Technologies unveils G6200 and G6400, first two GPUs based on PowerVR Series6
First announced in February of last year, Imagination Technologies has officially announced the licensing availability of its first two GPUs based on the Series6 platform. The PowerVR G6200 and G6400 each promise to bring low power graphics to unprecedented levels and are said to deliver up to 20 times more horsepower than the current generation while also being five times more efficient. In tangible terms, the Series6 GPU cores are capable of exceeding 100 gigaflops and are said to approach the teraflop range. All chipsets based on Series6 are backward compatible with Series5 and fully support OpenGL 3.x, 4.x and ES, along with OpenCL 1.x and DirectX 10. Further, specific models will also support DirectX 11.1 with full WHQL compliance. Poised to shake up the mobile gaming ecosystem, Imagination has already lined up partners that include ST-Ericsson, Texas Instruments, Renesas Electronics and MediaTek. The full PR, complete with all the bragging, can be found after the break.
3DMark is coming to Android phones near you in 2012
Futuremark, father of 3DMark and PCMark, has begun work on an Android edition of its benchmarking software. Wittily titled 3DMark for Android, it'll bring the industry-standard testing tools to all the phones in Google's yard. When finished, users will be able to measure performance by pushing the phone's CPU, rendering, openGL and physics engines to the limits. Results will be comparable against the company's newest software, including the forthcoming Windows 8 build. It's inviting handset makers to join a benchmark development program, an exclusive club that already has AMD, NVIDIA, Intel, Imagination Technologies, Dell and HP on the guest list, you can see the full PR after the break -- just be advised, it's black tie only.
Samsung signs up PowerVR SGX MP GPUs for future devices, keeps its options open
Even though it's already listed on the dance card for ARM's upcoming MALI-T658 mobile GPU, Samsung is also licensing tech from Imagination Technologies. The new agreement will allow it to include Imagination's PowerVR SGX multiprocessor GPU (a.k.a Series 5XT a form of which already resides in the A5 chip used by Apple's iPad 2 and iPhone 4S as well as the PlayStation Vita) in its upcoming devices, but doesn't specify how many cores or what configuration may be used. MobileTechWorld also speculates this could be in preparation for SoCs built to run Windows 8, but until we actually get a peek inside whatever devices are up Samsung's sleeve it's impossible to know for sure.
Next generation iPad / iPhone GPU licensed to other manufacturers
Imagination Technologies, makers the PowerVR graphics processor found in the iPhone and iPad, has announced that its next generation PowerVR Series 6 architecture has been licensed by six lead partners: ST-Ericson, Texas Instruments and MediaTek. The remaining three partners are yet to be announced. Whilst not giving any firm details, an Imagination Technologies press release says that the next generation GPU (codenamed "Rogue") will deliver "unrivaled GFLOPS per mm2 and per mW for all APIs," with "a smooth migration path for developers upgrading applications optimized for Series5 to the new architecture." Since Apple has a 9.5% stake in the chip manufacturer, and being that Apple uses PowerVR GPUs to handle the graphics in current iOS devices, we can assume that Apple is among the unannounced Rogue partners. However, it's unlikely we'll see this new GPU in Apple's iOS products anytime soon. With the iPad 2 utilizing the current PowerVR Series 5 architecture (said to boost graphics performance by nine times in comparison with the original iPad), and the next generation iPhone 5 reportedly in final testing before its introduction this year, we'll probably only see the benefits of the Series 6 GPU in the following generation iPad and iPhone. But we can always hope. For the full press release, hit the source link. [Via AppleInsider]
iPad 2 specs discerned, 900MHz dual-core ARM CPU and PowerVR SGX543MP2 GPU blow away graphical benchmarks
iFixit may have physically uncovered Apple's latest silicon, but it's the processor gurus that have discovered what's truly inside -- using software benchmarks, they've unearthed the speeds and feeds of the Apple A5. As you'll no doubt be aware having read our headline above, there actually isn't a 1GHz CPU at the helm, as AnandTech and IOSnoops report the dual-core ARM chip is dynamically clocked around 900MHz, likely in search of reduced power consumption. Perhaps more interestingly for all you gamers in the audience, the iPad 2 reports that it has a dual-core PowerVR SGX543MP2 GPU on the die as originally foretold -- and, spoiler alert -- it mops the floor with both the original iPad and the Motorola Xoom. Though the new chip didn't quite demonstrate 9X the graphical prowess of its predecessor, it rendered 57.6 frames per second in a GLBenchmark test where the (admittedly higher-res) Tegra 2 tablet managed only 26.7fps, and last year's iPad pulled only 17.6fps. That's some serious Tai Chi. Hit up our source links to see the difference it can make in games like Infinity Blade. Update: Though it sure sounds like there's a dual-core ARM Cortex A9 in there, that's not yet a proven fact -- we only know that it's a dual-core ARM v7 chip which performs relatively similarly in non-graphical tests. [Thanks, Jim] [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Imagination Technologies' PowerVR SGX543MP2 really is faster, better, stronger (video)
You may have heard of the PowerVR SGX543MP -- you know, the GPU behind Sony's NGP and possibly on its way to the iPad 2 and iPhone 5 -- but chances are, you've yet to see it working up close. Well, feast your graphics-hungry eyes on this: that's Rightware's Tai Chi benchmark running on a tellingly sheathed device at GDC 2011, working the MP2 (dual-core) iteration of the processor, and that fine smartphone to its right is the Nexus S, sporting the PowerVR SGX540 you've come to know and love. As you can tell, Imagination Technologies' promises of 4X the performance aren't just baseless boasts -- the lady on the left moves with grace and fluidity, while her counterpart on the right is all sorts of herky-jerky. Think that's fast? Check out what the GPU can do with two more cores. Sean Hollister contributed to this report.
Imagination Technologies unveils Series 6 PowerVR GPUs -- promises desktop caliber graphics in mobile devices (update)
Imagination Technologies may not be a household name, but they created the PowerVR GPUs that are the gold standard in mobile graphics, and are a part of the ARM SoCs you find in mobile devices like the iPhone 4, Galaxy S, and the Droid 2. Not one to rest on its laurels, the company unveiled its new Series 6 PowerVR chips -- affectionately known as "Rogue" -- that are 20 to 100 times more powerful than its previous handheld offerings. That's right, these GPUs will have the same horsepower as today's desktop computers while needing only a milliwatt of juice to deliver face-melting graphics -- the catch is that this bit of black magic won't be showing up in devices for a few years. Guess we'll just have to settle for the Series 5 chips -- like the quad core beast found in the Sony NGP and the upcoming OMAP 5 platform -- which the company promises will make their way into select smartphones "within three months." Be still, our gaming hearts. Update: Three months? Hardly, ST-Ericsson has announced a series of new SoC processors, including the Nova 9600 that has "Rogue" baked in. The chip delivers HD video at 120 frames per second and can pull off pro-quality 3D video recording as well. Press release is after the break. [Thanks, Rich]
Sony's next-gen PSP (NGP) has a quad-core ARM Cortex-A9 processor, quad-core GPU as well
You know that crazy next-gen PSP (NGP) with multiple touchpads, dual analog sticks, and quadrupled resolution that Sony just trotted out? Yeah, it's got a quad-core Cortex-A9 and a quad-core Imagination Technologies PowerVR SGX543MP4+ GPU doing the grunt work within. We've never seen a handheld this powerful. Then again, considering the darn thing won't be launching until this holiday season, maybe quad-core parts will be the least Sony will need in order to match up to the "super phones" coming up this year. We're just wondering how long any of these souped-up portables will last on a charge. Full spec sheet after the break.
Rumor: The iPhone's next GPU
The Graphics Processing Unit, or GPU, of any modern computing device is an important piece of hardware that offloads 3D graphics rendering from the main processor. At CES 2010 last week, chip manufacturer Imagination Technologies may have spilled the beans on the GPU for the next generation of iPhones. Imagination unveiled the PowerVR SGX545 GPU core design at CES, which is the only mobile phone GPU capable of OpenGL 3.2 and DirectX 10 level effects. The SGX545 also includes OpenCL support, which means that unused processing cycles on the chip can be used to offload work from the main CPU. The SGX545 is also multithreading-aware, and can provide an additional speed jump when used with multi-core processor designs such as the ARM Cortex-A9. Imagination noted that they have produced a test chip for an unnamed "lead partner," which could very well be Apple. The Cupertino Kids have used PowerVR graphics in every iPhone and iPod touch, and many industry pundits believe the next generation of devices could be powered by a variant of the ARM Cortex-A9. Apple is also an investor in Imagination, having purchased a 9.5% stake in the chip manufacturer in 2008 and 2009. So it's very possible that the SGX545 could be churning out pixels in the next handheld you buy from the Apple Store.
Imagination Technologies announces new mobile GPU, casually glances in Apple's direction
A company partly owned by Apple announcing a new mobile GPU? Nah, can't be anything there. But just in case you're curious, Imagination Technologies has now let out word about its new PowerVR SGX545 mobile GPU, which just might, possibly be a candidate for a future iPhone (or... something else). Among other things, it adds full support for OpenGL 3.2 and OpenCL 1.0, promises to pump out an 40 million polygons per second at 200MHz, and promises to handle high definition resolution and high frame rates with ease. Hit up the link below for the complete rundown.
PSP2 to be based on iPhone-esque PowerVR GPU, rival original Xbox in power?
If Sony's PSPgo was some halfhearted attempt to quell incessant PSP2 rumoring (and our favorite PSP2 mockup render, above), it certainly doesn't seem to have worked. The new rumor out and about is that the inevitable PSP2 will harbor a PowerVR GPU along the lines of what's present in the new iPhone 3GS. The SGX543MP cited has four cores, with a rating of 133 million polygons per second at the low-end 200MHz mode that seems likely for portable use. GamesIndustry.biz calls this a "ballpark match" for the original Xbox, with some additional Dreamcast rendering enhancements for avoiding wasting time on hidden elements in a scene. They also point out that Imagination Technologies calls the chip a GP-GPU, capable of handling computing tasks in addition to graphics, and potentially giving the PSP2 the power savings of not needing a separate CPU to operate. Sure, it's all a difficult to pin down rumor at the moment, but if anything these sort of specs show what's possible for a new generation of handheld gaming when the likes of Sony and Nintendo are ready to give it to us. Now about a second analog stick...[Via GamesIndustry.biz]
Intel buys a little more Imagination, says it might want it all
Man, that PowerVR mobile graphics core must be some hot stuff -- hot on the heels of Apple's $5M investment into developer Imagination Technologies, Intel's upped its own investment in the company to 3.04 percent. That's not quite as much as Apple's 3.6 percent stake, but Intel seems ready to commit -- it also filed a statement with the London Stock Exchange saying it might try and acquire all of Imagination if it thinks another company is on the prowl. Of course, Apple and Intel are like, besties, so maybe it'll all work out, but we'll see whose letter jacket Imagination shows up to homeroom in next week.
Apple buys a little Imagination -- 3.6 percent to be exact
It's been a busy couple of months for the mobile PowerVR gurus at Imagination Technologies. First the company got picked to handle the polygon-shuffling duties in Sony's PSP2 (which may or may not be actually happening), and has now received a $5 million cash infusion from Apple -- in exchange for a measly 3.6 percent of its soul. What does it all mean? As much as we'd love to fling out crazy speculation about an Apple / Sony hybrid iPSP or hardware support for a mobile 3D operating system, we're putting our money on the most sensible explanation: a next-gen iPhone with even more emphasis on games. Place your bets now, folks.
Imagination Technologies said to have signed on with Sony for PSP successor
Well, this is certainly interesting. While Imagination Technologies itself isn't going any further than to say that it has signed a licensing deal with a "major international consumer electronics company," EETimes.com is reporting that the company in question is, in fact, Sony, and that the deal concerns Imagination's PowerVR architecture being used in the successor to the PSP. More specifically, according to EETimes' unnamed sources, the PSP 2 will be using Imagination's SGX55x core, which itself, of course, still hasn't been officially announced either. As EETimes notes, if that turns out to be the case, it would certainly be quite the coup for Imagination, especially considering that its PowerVR MBX technology has already found its way into the iPhone, among other devices.[Via EETimes.com, thanks Rob E]
