Apple has been using Imagination Technologies' older PowerVR SGX535 GPU since the iPhone 3GS, eventually including the GPU on the custom Apple A4 System on a Chip (SoC).
In 2008, AppleInsider broke the news on a secret licensing deal with Imagination. Apple was also revealed to have purchased a 3 percent stake in the firm. In 2009, Apple increased its holdings in the company to 9.5 percent.
MacRumors reported Friday that references to the next-generation PowerVR SGX543 have been found in the iOS 4.3 beta. According to the report, the upcoming version of iOS contains a driver bundle for the next-generation SGX543.
The SGX543 can push 35 million polygons per second at 200 Mhz and 1 billion pixels per second and is capable of handling Apple's OpenCL standard. The GPU also supports multi-core configurations.
Apple released the beta version of iOS 4.3 on Wednesday, with support for Personal Hotspots and a "Find My Friends" feature.
Reports on Apple's plans for the future versions of the iPad and iPhone have picked up steam this week. Earlier Friday, a Hong Kong-based newspaper reported that the iPhone 5 could sport a new Apple-developed processor, reportedly called the A8, and a Qualcomm baseband.
Engadget is reporting that Apple plans to release a dual GSM-CDMA iPhone and an iPad with a high-resolution screen, front and rear cameras and an SD card slot. According to the report, Apple's next-generation devices will sport a new A5 CPU (Cortex A9-based, multi-core chip).
