Rumor: 3G iPhone to Better Support 3D Graphics Thanks to Imagination Tech.
by Jody Mitoma on May 1, 2008 at 11:50 pm
The next generation of iPhone appears set to claim exclusive access to advanced graphics core and video decoding technology, thanks to a secret licensing deal between Apple, mobile graphics leader Imagination Technologies, and Samsung, the iPhone’s ARM “system on a chip” manufacturer. The result may be an ideal platform for handheld gaming and high definition video playback. – AppleInsider
Most mobile devices – including the iPhone – use a version of the PowerVR MBX graphics processor core developed by Imagination. PowerVR MBX supports the features of OpenGL ES 1.1. Imagination’s next generation graphics core, the PowerVR SGX, introduces OpenGL ES 2.0 support, along with a Universal Scalable Shader Engine that provides mobile devices with highly efficient, shader-based 3D graphics. SGX is backward compatible with code developed for MBX, actually running it with better performance and efficiency.
Not only so, but Imagination has also developed PowerVR VXD decoder codec components capable of playing back high-definition video from a mobile device either directly, or output to an external displays, such as a television. This chip specializes in highly power efficient decoding, making it possible to handle HD video content with comparable power consumption to existing audio playback chips.
According to a press release issued on April 30th, Imagination announced that they’ve signed a licence agreement with Samsung “with respect to to certain POWERVR SGX graphics and VXD video IP cores.”
The release noted that the license “enables Samsung to manufacture semiconductor devices which integrate these IP cores from Imagination.” According to a source familiar with the agreement, this deal is unique in that it is only a manufacturing licence, and is the first time Imagination has issued one on such terms.
The source reports that Samsung does not have a license to design chips that include the cores, only to produce them. This is different from previous licensing agreements related to the MBX graphics core, for which Samsung does have a design license.
July of last year, Imagination Technologies announced a deal to license its “next generation graphics and video IP cores to an international electronics systems company under a multi-use licensing agreement.” The electronics system company was never named. The release stated that “the SoCs to be developed under this license agreement will be produced for this new partner by Imagination’s existing semiconductor partners and/or new chip manufacturing partners.”
The fact that this electronics system company was both a new partner and not a chip manufacturer strongly suggests that the international electronics mystery company was in fact, Apple, Inc., which stands among very few other companies as new to mobile graphics core licensing yet dependent upon third party manufacturers who are already Imagination partners.
Combined with knowledge that Samsung is now licensing the next generation SGX and VXD designs for manufacturing, this indicates that Apple has secured unique Imagination technology for its own exclusive use, and is using Samsung to manufacture the new SoC parts for future models.
Things are starting to get pretty interesting within the 3G iPhone mill now, aren’t they? Hell, don’t you – for a second – think it’s over just yet. Many, many more to come.
Don’t worry. I’ll keep ya’ll informed.
(Source: AppleInsider)
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Posted in Apple Corporate, Hardware Related, Rumors
May 2nd, 2008 at 10:04 am
The last thing we want (in my humble opinion) is SDK software that will work on some iPhones and not others……
May 2nd, 2008 at 5:05 pm
Then there is no point to a new iPhone.
May 2nd, 2008 at 5:48 pm
This’ll be good for Apple, since it’ll make first-generation iPhone owners want to upgrade to the second-generation.
June 10th, 2008 at 1:34 am
[...] Rumor: 3G iPhone to Better Support 3D Graphics Thanks to Imagination Tech. As cool as this would have been, I’m not surprised Apple would stick with the PowerVR MBX. It wouldn’t have made sense to trade up to the SGX when they’re just bringing devs on board to write games. Maybe next year. [...]
May 20th, 2009 at 3:14 am
Boy nobody seems to get it. It’s not the iPhone, it’s the new netbook, or newton, or whatever Apple’s new 10-inch iPod will be called…..