ARM has IP for a new processor called the Cortex-A72, for mobile SoC, which can support UltraHD at 120fps. 10 vendors, including HiSilicon, MediaTek and Rockchip, have already licensed the processor.
The Cortex-A72 is based on the ARMv8-A architecture, which delivers 64-bit processing and is backwards-compatible with 32-bit software. It will sustain operations at 2.5GHz in a 16nm FinFET process, and is scalable to higher frequencies in larger devices. ARM claims that it offers 3.5x the performance of devices based on the Cortex-A15 processor and uses up to 75% less energy. Devices using the Cortex-A72 are expected to be available next year.
A new mobile GPU, the Mali-T880, was also announced. It is said to deliver 1.8x the graphics performance of today’s Mali-T760-based devices, and 40% lower energy consumption. There is native support for 10-bit YUV colour and UltraHD resolution.
