Application Processor Race
The smart phone application processor (AP) race is heating up with the release of Apple’s iPhone 5S. Major global application developers are working on high-quality apps based on 64-bit computing.
At present, smart phones and tablet PCs use 32 bit-based processor technology. Once the conversion is made to 64-bit AP, the volume of the data that can be handled is doubled. In addition, the limit on the RAM usage goes away so as to boost the multitasking capabilities of such devices.
Game and music editing app developers are showing a particularly nimble response to the shift. They are striving to release apps optimized to Apple’s A7 chip. Samsung Electronics is said to join the war next year as well, which is expected to add new momentum to the smart phone market. Industry insiders are saying that Samsung Electronics is about to unveil its first 64-bit AP.
Still, some people are predicting that, although 64-bit smart phones will make a general trend in the end, the new market will not be opened up for a couple of years because the three elements of hardware, OS, and application are the prerequisites for 64-bit computing. They are pointing out that the extra memory will result in increased power consumption in mobile devices in which the minimization of power consumption is highly important.