Arm unveils novel smartphone technology, and MediaTek enters partnership to incorporate it
On May 29, Reuters reported that Arm Ltd introduced groundbreaking chip technology designed specifically for mobile devices. Taiwan-based smartphone chip manufacturer MediaTek Inc (2454.TW) has announced its intention to integrate this technology into its next-generation product.
Although MediaTek has traditionally been a provider of low- and mid-tier smartphone chips, the company has been aggressively venturing into the market for premium smartphones. This sector was previously dominated by Qualcomm Inc (QCOM.O), with whom Arm has been embroiled in a legal dispute over chip licensing agreements since last year.
In a recent blog post by Arm, MediaTek expressed its confidence that the incorporation of these new chips would significantly enhance the performance of their upcoming smartphones.
Arm specializes in selling chip design blueprints, which are utilized by chip designers to create their own hardware. As part of its launch at Taiwan’s Computex conference, Arm is introducing two new chips: the Immortalis-G720, engineered for video image processing and AI applications, and the Cortex-X4, which serves as the core processor of the mobile device.
Arm proudly boasts that both of these cutting-edge chips exhibit a 15% improvement in performance compared to their predecessors. Notably, the Cortex-X4 also boasts a 40% reduction in power consumption, a critical feature for smartphones that require long battery life.
Furthermore, Arm has successfully completed the taped out process for the Cortex-X4 at Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (2330.TW). This procedure, usually performed by chip designers who sell the finalized product, involves the manufacturing of the chip at the factory. Arm clarified that this step was taken to evaluate new manufacturing technologies for their customers rather than a shift in their core business model, which revolves around providing chip blueprints.
During a briefing with Reuters, Chris Bergey, the general manager of Arm’s Client Line of Business, explicitly stated, Arm is not engaged in the direct sale of chips. That is not our primary focus.
The Financial Times previously reported that Arm was developing its own chip to showcase the extraordinary capabilities of its designs.
Arm revealed that the Cortex-X4 was taped out using TSMC’s N3E process, marking a significant milestone in the industry.
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