According to recent reports it was suggested that Taiwanese chipmaker (TSMC) had started work for the next generation Apple mobile processor and the successor to the iPad 2′s A5. The report claimed that the chip would be “publicly unveiled” the second quarter of 201 but according to a recent report by CNET Linley Group analyst Kevin Krewell has filed a research note which claims that production of the A6 chip will not start before A2 2011 so a public reveal in an Apple device is not expected before June.
The Apple A6 processor is set to debut in the iPad 3 if Apple stays true to it’s yearly fresh cycle as the A4 debuted in the original iPad and the A5 debuted in the iPad 2.
A final version of the chip will enter production in 2Q12 ‘at the earliest’… We believe this timing makes sense,” Krewell said. “This pace would make the A6 one of the first 28 [nanometer] mobile processors (along with Qualcomm’s MSM8960) to enter production. This schedule, however, breaks Apple’s annual processor-upgrade cycle and will delay any products using the A6 until at least June 2012.
It’s also rumored that the A6 processor will be a quad core chip and will use 3D Transistor Technology similar the Tri-Gate technology being used by Intel for their processors.
The rumored A6 is a major step-up in chip design. Not only does it contain four processor cores (the existing Apple A5 has two cores) but will use so-called 3D technology, Linley Group senior analyst Kevin Krewell said this week in a research note, citing a report in the Taiwan Economic News. The 3D tech is roughly analogous to Intel’s 3D technology announced in May.
So what do you guys think? Will Apple release an A5 based iPad 3 with the rumored Retina Display or will they wait till after June and release an iPad 3 with the quad core A6 processor?
Source: CNET
Stay tuned to TechDeville for everything Tech! Follow us on Twitter (@TechDeville) and like us at Facebook.