Sam OliverA recent job posting by Apple dug up by MacRumors seeks and iPhone developer with extensive knowledge of ARM's embedded processors, including their NEON vector unit.
As the rumor site points out, NEON is an extended instruction set similar to Intel's SSE or PowerPC's AltiVec which can accelerate multimedia applications. It's also said to be the marketing term for the most recent version of those extensions specifically for the ARMv7 Cortex processor, which is the successor to the ARMv6 chip currently employed in the second-generation of both the iPhone and iPod touch.
One theory behind Apple's apparent interest in NEON is that the extensions may help facilitate a number of multimedia-intensive operations due to start turning up in the iPhone this year, such as video recording, video processing, and rudimentary video editing.
Recently, the Wall Street Journal cited people familiar with Apple's ongoing efforts to develop its own embedded processors as saying those designs are unlikely to materialize until sometime next year. Still, mounting evidence suggest that this year's iPhone and iPod touch will sport a materially distinct architecture from their predecessors.
Given that Apple's latest job listing is dated this month and third-generation iPhones are already believed to be nearing production, it's possible the company's plan is to adopt Cortex chips based off ARM's reference designs this year, before making its own proprietary additions to those schematics for devices that will launch next year.
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Mike Wuerthele and Malcolm Owen
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38 Comments
First post
Ok, on a serious note...
As they say to the end of the article - it isn't likely that the new iPhone will have this technology. Still... its feasible, considering the turnover time of the iPod touch, that they may be able to pioneer this technology in that.
After all, the first iPod Touch was an afterthought after the iPhone's success was it not, with a very short run-up time?
Also considering the rampup of CPU in the iPod Touch, and Nike + inclusion, perhaps we are seeing a trend where the iPod touch will start as more of a "road - test" of technologies that will make their way into the iPhone, but tested on a simpler platform in the iPod - a platform that specifically lacks other more phone-relevant technologies, like GPS and cellular radios & basebands, and also lacks many of the hardware-specific software complexities of the iPhone.
Second post, but this time for a reason.
Spelling error: "turing up in the iPhone"...
Why isn't it more likely that this NEON would end up in the itablet people keep talking about? They've been working on that for quite some time, and I'm thinking that Munster's prediction of late 2010 is probably going to be a full swing that follows some slow pitch we're going to get shortly.
That's right, I'm predicting multiple devices...
Second post, but this time for a reason.
Spelling error: "turing up in the iPhone"...
Heh heh, must have been a Freudian slip..... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alan_Turing
I don't believe anyone that says they've heard word of a device that's going to ship in 18 months. I don't believe substantive leaks happen at that early a stage in a product's development cycle.
I do believe Apple would be looking at Cortex chips for a beefier ARM based product due to ship this year. This would allow them to lead right into their own custom designs in 2010 with version 2 product.
Right now off the shelf ARM parts are fine and give Apple time to complete their design process with PA Semi.
As for the iPhone this year would appear to be handled by a faster ARM 6 product, faster Imagination graphics and updated wireless product and other tech.
A driver for faster Cortex processing would, IMO, be driven by HD video out options and more NAND memory which would allow for larger phones for video recording/playback.