New Multi-Core iPhone with Firmware 3.0?

[MacRumors]

http://www.macrumors.com/images/macrumorsthreadlogo.gif (http://www.macrumors.com/2009/01/08/new-multi-core-iphone-with-firmware-3-0/)

ZDNet reports (http://blogs.zdnet.com/Apple/?p=2745) that the iPhone 3.0 firmware will support quad-core processors in an upcoming iPhone hardware revision. While Apple has not yet detailed iPhone 3.0 firmware, MacRumors has independently heard of this same multi-core support in the 3.0 firmware which should accompany the next iPhone.

Meanwhile, Imagination Technologies is announcing (http://www.tgdaily.com/content/view/40899/135/) a multi-core GPU that could be suitable for iPhone use. Apple, an investor in Imagination Technologies, presently uses a less powerful version of their PowerVR GPU in the iPhone and iPod touch.

The likely candidate for the new iPhone's CPU, however, is a derivative of the ARM Cortex A9 (http://www.arm.com/products/CPUs/ARMCortex-A9_MPCore.html) multi-core processor. The ARM Cortex has excellent power efficiency (http://blogs.computerworld.com/apples_tablet_to_be_based_on_arm_cortex_architecture), well ahead of Intel's Atom offerings. Apple appears to be an ARM architectural licensee and their acquisition of P.A. Semi has brought low-power chip design expertise into the company.

Article Link: New Multi-Core iPhone with Firmware 3.0? (http://www.macrumors.com/2009/01/08/new-multi-core-iphone-with-firmware-3-0/)

[JLatte]

Interesting. Wonder if they'll ever allow multiple apps to run at once. Guess at the very least it'll add juice to more powerful apps.

[Kilamite]

Woa.

This would be very interesting - and the device would be extremely powerful and definitely put a hole in the mobile gaming market.

[Mal]

What if iPhone software 3.0 was really intended to power the new MacTablet that's going to come out? Maybe that's the device that could really benefit from that type of optimization.

*walks away whistling as the eager kids jump on the remarks*

jW

[mavis]

Wirelessly posted (iPhone 3G (white): Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 2_2 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/525.18.1 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/3.1.1 Mobile/5G77 Safari/525.20)

Awesome. And maybe while they're at it, they can give the next iPhone enough RAM to actually function well.

[alphaod]

Quad-Core iPhone? Finally we'll be able to run real full OS X! No, not really.

[mgpg89]

When can we expect an iPhone like this? Still in 2009?

[patricksan]

Very good news!

[basesloaded190]

Battery life?

[Bonte]

Bad move to beef up the iPhone or Touch, they need to keep the performance at the same level for a long time to avoid AppStore costumer confusion. Only change it with radically new models or the tablet.

[Trip.Tucker]

Quad-Core iPhone? Finally we'll be able to run real full OS X! No, not really.

We already are. Color me EXTREMELY skeptical with this rumor. Quad-core in a hand held? Come on.

[Small White Car]

What if iPhone software 3.0 was really intended to power the new MacTablet that's going to come out? Maybe that's the device that could really benefit from that type of optimization.

*walks away whistling as the eager kids jump on the remarks*

jW


Pretty much.

As far as phones, though, I suspect the next iPhone will allow background process too. The current model COULD do it, and jailbreakers will, but Apple won't enable it in order to encourage upgrades.

[Marx55]

What about the possibility to run Mac OS X instead of just OS X on the iPhone and iPod touch? For the ultimate wired and wireless presentation remote using NATIVE Apple Keynote and Microsoft PowerPoint files.

[longofest]

What if iPhone software 3.0 was really intended to power the new MacTablet that's going to come out? Maybe that's the device that could really benefit from that type of optimization.

The latest published rumors have indicated that the tablet would be the same architecture as the iPhone, so this is not an unreasonable suggestion.

[Abu Tech]

But will it run Crysis?:D

[Small White Car]

What about the possibility to run Mac OS X instead of just OS X on the iPhone and iPod touch? For the ultimate wired and wireless presentation remote using NATIVE Apple Keynote and Microsoft PowerPoint files.

What? Why? So you can have a cursor-arrow and drop-down menus on a tiny screen? How annoying!

Wouldn't it make MUCH more sense to simply write software for the iPhone that can use these files you're talking about?

[jawzzy]

Multi-core, eh? Hmmmm...Crysis on an iPhone?








Weeeeeee!

Edit: Damn, beaten to it.

[NightStorm]

At this rate, we'll probably have quad-core iPhones before quad-core Mac Minis or iMacs. :mad:

[riversky]

We already are. Color me EXTREMELY skeptical with this rumor. Quad-core in a hand held? Come on.

Low powered mobile processors from ARM are designed with multiple cores, up to 4....

Check out the link to the ARM page in the original article and look at the schematics!

[soft]

My guess is an hardware updated iPhone by late 2009.

[armoguy94]

I hope this will be compatible with iPod Touch 1st Gen and they wont leave us screwed like what they usually do for products a few months old!

[reallynotnick]

Bad move to beef up the iPhone or Touch, they need to keep the performance at the same level for a long time to avoid AppStore costumer confusion. Only change it with radically new models or the tablet.

As long as the screen and the usability is the same I don't see it as a huge problem, just like a computer programs run on a variety of different speeds of hardware.
As far as games go the version for the older machines would run with lower poly counts, textures and whatnot. Other productivity apps might just run a little slower.
The speed has been the same for almost 2 years now, they need to up the speed a little or they will fall behind the competition, we don't want just another RAZR.
As long as the apps run on both I don't see a problem, and then they can up the speed again in 2 years which then all the slower iPods/iPhones would become semi-obsolete depending on if developers wanted to support them. And it's not like those iPods would not function anymore they would just get less new apps.

[fendol]

Opening up a whole range of possibilities when it comes to playing games and the sorts. I wonder if we'll start seeing people buying tiny video cards to put on their iPhone :p:apple:http://www.seoagora.com/img/589/d08l1104oulu/smiley2.gifhttp://www.seoagora.com/img/459/k08q1024glza/ecstatic.gifhttp://www.seoagora.com/img/308/s08e1024rvou/champagne.gif

[Nick012]

Should I return the touch I bought this evening? I don't want to get Leo'd...

[gnasher729]

Battery life?

That's the reason why you want multiple cores. Power consumption grows with the square of clock speed. If you have four cores, running at a fourth of the clock speed, you get the same performance at a quarter of the power consumption. Four cores at half speed = twice the performance at the same power consumption as a single core.

[noneother]

When can we expect an iPhone like this? Still in 2009?

what he said. Still have a first Gen iPhone. Was hoping (as most) the 3rd Gen woulda been announced this week!!

[Santa Rosa]

First the Palm Pre and now this rumor!!! If this is true then the iPhone is gonna be packing some serious power. I think the quad core thing may be a bit over the top but something with a good bit more grunt I can see as being a good possibility.

[Dmac77]

Of course, right after xmas. Oh well, I'm happy with my 3G.

Don

[Columbo X]

Hopefully an improved GPU will bring OpenGL ES 2.0 support to the iPhone - this could be especially useful for the growing games market.

[tuckerja]

Sounds like the iPhone pro. Maybe that means the "nano" will be the current model, and this "future iPhone" will go back to the original pricing and be the apple netbook.

[Kilamite]

Sounds like the iPhone pro. Maybe that means the "nano" will be the current model, and this "future iPhone" will go back to the original pricing and be the apple netbook.

Interesting idea that the current could become the iPhone Nano.

[Bonte]

As long as the screen and the usability is the same I don't see it as a huge problem, just like a computer programs run on a variety of different speeds of hardware.
As far as games go the version for the older machines would run with lower poly counts, textures and whatnot. Other productivity apps might just run a little slower.
The speed has been the same for almost 2 years now, they need to up the speed a little or they will fall behind the competition, we don't want just another RAZR.
As long as the apps run on both I don't see a problem, and then they can up the speed again in 2 years which then all the slower iPods/iPhones would become semi-obsolete depending on if developers wanted to support them. And it's not like those iPods would not function anymore they would just get less new apps.

Maybe so but different models would make app-shopping more confusing, do i have a first, second or third gen iPhone and does the app still work on my Touch whatever generation. We would need nonconfusing model numbering and/or naming. We can't have a quadcore iPhone with the same look and feel as the current one.

The "iPhone V3.1 multi" written on the front?

[FJ218700]

I was going to pick up 2 this week, looks like I'll be waiting for a while now.

[basesloaded190]

Interesting idea that the current could become the iPhone Nano.

But wouldn't nano imply it being smaller, thus the pro being larger?

[Fonzijr1964]

I am thinking June or July just like 3G with a intro at WWDC or at its own event

[kastenbrust]

lol an iphone with 64bit support :p

[The Phazer]

Apps might be just required to run on the current hardware, with this extra power (and hopefully RAM) enabling many applications to run at once.

Phazer

[leishan]

lol an iphone with 64bit support :p
:eek:

hehe...

[Mr Skills]

That's the reason why you want multiple cores. Power consumption grows with the square of clock speed. If you have four cores, running at a fourth of the clock speed, you get the same performance at a quarter of the power consumption. Four cores at half speed = twice the performance at the same power consumption as a single core.

So they could keep the power the same, but use give it stupendous battery life?

[alexbates]

I hope this will be compatible with iPod Touch 1st Gen and they wont leave us screwed like what they usually do for products a few months old!

They better! I would not be happy if I was stuck with OS 2.2 because it's not the fastest mobile OS. I would be happy though if Apple got an update out that would be very stable, fast, and less power cosuming. Then later they could out with new iPhones and iPods with the iPhone 3.0 update that would only compatible with multi-core processors.

I would also like to see an iPhone Nano and iPod nano running the same firmware. That could really boost their sales.

[PiesAndLager]

Do you think then they might be able to add cut and paste?!

[Drumjim85]

Bad move to beef up the iPhone or Touch, they need to keep the performance at the same level for a long time to avoid AppStore costumer confusion. Only change it with radically new models or the tablet.

ya :rolleyes: bad move to move technology forward so that old devices can still feel "new" and useful ...

[ilfn143]

Battery life?

you can listen to an entire mp3 song on single charge

[basesloaded190]

So they could keep the power the same, but use give it stupendous battery life?

consider it sold if they can do that.

[11800506]

If such a rumor is true and a mulit-core iPhone comes out then they likely would enable background processes. Maybe this is what is holding up Push notifications? It's unlikely, but with Apple anything is possible.

[Tallest Skil]

you can listen to an entire mp3 song on single charge

Addendum: 2/3 of an AAC song and the first ten seconds of any lossless song.

[Lucbert]

3.0 will probably also include the long anticipated background notification service when it comes out in late 2009.
Haha

[Pressure]

That's the reason why you want multiple cores. Power consumption grows with the square of clock speed. If you have four cores, running at a fourth of the clock speed, you get the same performance at a quarter of the power consumption. Four cores at half speed = twice the performance at the same power consumption as a single core.

Uhm...no.

It all depends on how threaded any given code is. If it isn't highly parallel there is rarely anything to gain from going multi-core over a faster clock speed.

And power consumption is definitely not linear as you seem to suggest.

[Kilamite]

But wouldn't nano imply it being smaller, thus the pro being larger?

Might be re-designed slightly, maybe smaller with less of a bezel round the screen at the top and bottom and renamed.

[Lucbert]

For Cores running at a quarter of the speed of the processor they use now does not mean same performance, there is not Multi-Core optimization that is 100% efficient.
But all in all thats right.
When do you expect them to launch this new iPhone(/Device)?
Where do the News come from? If so many people already know about it it's probably not to far away.

[mkrishnan]

Considering how phenomenal games like Hero of Sparta and Brothers in Arms are, on even the first gen iPhone hardware, and after only a few months of availability of the iPhone SDK, I'm really curious to see what the future holds. Apple seems to plan on updating their hardware much more frequently than Sony or Nintendo do with handhelds, which is going to be a pain for compatibility, but it also means gaming on the iPhone could be just amazing in a year or two.

The faster processing not only allows for more sophisticated 3D graphics and game spaces, but it might also allow the onscreen user interface to be much more impressive through the use of more gesture logic, etc.

[SpinThis!]

Do you think then they might be able to add cut and paste?!
No—apparently you need an 8 core to handle that complexity... :D

[Digital Skunk]

Quad-Core iPhone? Finally we'll be able to run real full OS X! No, not really.

Yes indeed. Hopefully it won't be locked into AT&T still, or we could get a multi-core iPod Touch. AT&T is still the crutch of the iPhone, keeping it slow as molasses in February.

I would love to see full fledged OSX on a 4.5" screen iPhone Pro on Verizon or Sprint or completely unlocked so we won't have to bother with AT&T's shortcomings.

[friekunater]

sorry to sound stupid, but what is a quad-core processor? for that matter, what is a processor? and, what does it do?

what kind does the 1G iPod touch have?

[fluidedge]

a quad core iphone before a quad core imac. Typical. This company has it's priorities all wrong. Why don't they just sell off the hardware arm to Dell and be done with it.

Apple Computer Inc changed to just Apple Inc Why don't they just become an iPod, iPhone and OS X software company. Allow OS X to run on any hardware and move on.

[ilfn143]

No—apparently you need an 8 core to handle that complexity... :D

and you'll also need to jailbreak it

[branjosef]

This is soo awesome. Now I will be able to run all my useless weather, social networking, and flashlight apps that much quicker. Instead of multi-core, how about a phone with video recording or more customization features (ala - winterboard) for changing its interface. How about a phone that can block incoming phone calls instead of having to jailbreak it and use iblacklist or something. How about a phone with a better camera or longer battery life. Yeah - multi-core!!! can't wait. Is the ifart app still the number one paid download? I am just so happy that other companies are actually putting some thought in their phones and look forward to the iphone's competition. Go android. Sorry to piss off all the fanboys out there. Other than watching movies and surfing the net, the iphone is lame.


-Happy iPhone customer :D


One last caveat.... just to reduce the flaming.. I do love its screen. it is very large and nice

[PeterQC]

They will put 4 cores in a phone, while the 17inch MBP is still at 2 cores. WTF?

[SpinThis!]

sorry to sound stupid, but what is a quad-core processor? for that matter, what is a processor? and, what does it do?
Seriously? Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CPU) is your friend.

[Lucbert]

a quad core iphone before a quad core imac. Typical. This company has it's priorities all wrong. Why don't they just sell off the hardware arm to Dell and be done with it.

Apple Computer Inc changed to just Apple Inc Why don't they just become an iPod, iPhone and OS X software company. Allow OS X to run on any hardware and move on.
Agree. What a dumb move! A quad core phone? Nobody wants a quad core phone. I want an iPhone with battery life, copy & past and background notifications.

[DaBrain]

We already are. Color me EXTREMELY skeptical with this rumor. Quad-core in a hand held? Come on.

Many would be happy with a updated dual core mini--))) No wonder it isn't happening!

Well at least the Apple Consumer Electronics Company makes great cell phones! :rolleyes:

[zedsdead]

They will put 4 cores in a phone, while the 17inch MBP is still at 2 cores. WTF?

I agree. The iMac's haven't gone Quad-Core either.

[qwerty2k]

all i want is a 32gig iphone with a better camera and a flash, thats all :apple:

[FF_productions]

Nobody asked it yet..but will Safari be snappier?

:p applies to anything

[Tallest Skil]

Nobody asked it yet..but will Safari be snappier?

:p applies to anything

Better question: Will Safari be less-crashier?

[ilfn143]

Nobody asked it yet..but will Safari be snappier?

:p applies to anything

will it blend?

[Dmac77]

I call BS. Only the MacPro has 4 cores. The iMac and the MBP don't. And they're going to put it in a cell phone? The iPhone's battery life already sucks, and they're going to make it a quad core. I don't think so.

Don

[Lucbert]

I just hope they don't call it iPhone Quad. I really hope they don't.

[Digital Skunk]

all i want is a 32gig iphone with a better camera and a flash, thats all :apple:

And a less crappier selection of Apps.... and a less crappier selection of American cell providers to choose from.

Better question: Will Safari be less-crashier?

Or the whole phone itself from what I have seen lately with the 3G.

[kas23]

Pretty much.

As far as phones, though, I suspect the next iPhone will allow background process too. The current model COULD do it, and jailbreakers will, but Apple won't enable it in order to encourage upgrades.

I agree. The current 3G probably can do a lot of stuff that Apple current doesn't allow. They're probably hesistent to allow these functions/processes because it would be too slow.

However, this won't be the case with a beefed-up iPhone. Apple will probably allow people to place firmware 3.0 on their iPhone 3G with the caveat that it the new firmware 3.0 is optimized for the beefed-up iPhone. In this case, they won't catch criticism that the newly allowed processes/functions run too slow. And best of all, all crowds will probably be happy. And for those who still complain about firmware 3.0 being too slow on the 3G (even after getting a bunch of new functions), then upgrade.

[kas23]

What? Why? So you can have a cursor-arrow and drop-down menus on a tiny screen? How annoying!

Wouldn't it make MUCH more sense to simply write software for the iPhone that can use these files you're talking about?

Also agree. I'm sure Apple could currently port a slimmed-down mobile version of iWork or Office onto the iPhone right now.

[basesloaded190]

And a less crappier selection of Apps.... and a less crappier selection of American cell providers to choose from.

Who else would you want?
Sprint-Going bankrupt and terrible customer service?
Verizon-Would do a good job, but i think they would cripple the phone like they have in the past with other of their phones

[kugino]

this phone better arrive soon. my 16GB first gen iphone is feeling verrryyy slooooowwww

[branjosef]

Does this mean it will come with that snazzy "Intel Core Duo processor" sticker thats on all xp computers. :D And if you try to remove it, it will leave this hideous square that is a darker color that its surrounding letting everyone know you just removed that all too important sticker :D

[dagamer34]

That's the reason why you want multiple cores. Power consumption grows with the square of clock speed. If you have four cores, running at a fourth of the clock speed, you get the same performance at a quarter of the power consumption. Four cores at half speed = twice the performance at the same power consumption as a single core.

You leave out an important caveat. You assume that programs will scale with cores as well as they do with clock speed, and that generally isn't true, especially when you add more than 2 cores to the mix. For most consumer applications, especially portable ones, multi-core CPUs aren't taxed enough to make them worthwhile.

Besides, the iPhone is generally a single-task device. Do one thing and do it well. That's how you make sure it doesn't turn into a PC (the general computing kind, not the Windows kind).

[kas23]

This is soo awesome. Now I will be able to run all my useless weather, social networking, and flashlight apps that much quicker. Instead of multi-core, how about a phone with video recording or more customization features (ala - winterboard) for changing its interface. How about a phone that can block incoming phone calls instead of having to jailbreak it and use iblacklist or something. How about a phone with a better camera or longer battery life. Yeah - multi-core!!! can't wait. Is the ifart app still the number one paid download? I am just so happy that other companies are actually putting some thought in their phones and look forward to the iphone's competition. Go android. Sorry to piss off all the fanboys out there. Other than watching movies and surfing the net, the iphone is lame.


-Happy iPhone customer :D


One last caveat.... just to reduce the flaming.. I do love its screen. it is very large and nice

Don't you want a Snappier iFart?

[branjosef]

Don't you want a Snappier iFart?

HA HA HA I want a multi-tasking ifart

[kas23]

HA HA HA I want a multi-tasking ifart

It may have an extra speaker so you could produce an echo effect. Or, if you jailbrake, you could have one fart app fart out of one speaker and another fart app out the other. That's multi-tasking.

[iSee]

My guess is an hardware updated iPhone by late 2009.

Yeah, maybe even a little earlier--all those two-year contracts from original iPhone release will be up and everyone will be looking to upgrade.

[Digital Skunk]

Who else would you want?
Sprint-Going bankrupt and terrible customer service?
Verizon-Would do a good job, but i think they would cripple the phone like they have in the past with other of their phones

Sprint with better customer service than AT&T, also cheaper plans and a faster network

Verizon with pretty much the same thing.

Not to mention insurance for the phone. I still can't believe anyone would pay full price for their iPhone because they dropped it or it was faulty and out of warranty. When you look at what you are paying for with AT&T and Apple in regards to the phone it's really a shame people don't have any sense.

[iSee]

HA HA HA I want a multi-tasking ifart

"Mult-iFart"

[commander.data]

I do see dual-core ARM coming to the iPhone since it'll definitely put the iPhone ahead of the competition. I don't think quad-core is likely though. As others have said, the performance requirement just isn't there to make it worthwhile. And besides, I thought the quad-core ARM designs were primarily aimed at set-top boxes, in dash computers, MIDs, and other larger devices rather than a smartphone.

[leishan]

"Mult-iFart"

LMAO!!

[branjosef]

It may have an extra speaker so you could produce an echo effect. Or, if you jailbrake, you could have one fart app fart out of one speaker and another fart app out the other. That's multi-tasking.

What would be better would be to utilize the multi-core processor to run the zippo lighter application and the iFart application at the same time and blow my phone up. I wonder if that would void it's warranty.

Apple Genius "So...How did your iPhone catch on fire again?"

Me: "Well you see, I utilized the dual-core processor to run the zippo lighter application and the iFart application at the same time and well you guessed it... not a really good thing to do"

Apple Genius: "No worries, we've had alot of problems with the new dual-core iphone. One lady jailbroke it and ran ibrate at the same time as that caveman game...lets just say, she'll be hospital for some time."

Me: "Don't tell my wife that story (wink wink)"

Apple Genius "(wink wink) Let's get you that new phone Sir.. may I have your Mobileme user id please?"

Me: "Certainly...It's Sodukokiller187"

[Virgil-TB2]

Quad-Core iPhone? Finally we'll be able to run real full OS X! No, not really.In terms of the underlying technology the iPhone already is "real" and "full" OS-X. If you are talking about the UI, then you are talking out of your bum me thinks.

The standard Leopard GUI would not be effective even for a larger mobile device like a tablet, let alone an iPhone. Try using any VNC client on the iPhone and you will see right away that it's more of a tech demo than it is a useful item.

[Yonizzle]

Arn, you forgot to mention that the author at ZDNet is Jason O'Grady, who's been talking out his ass for years. I don't think he's gotten anything right, though the only specific rumor of his that I remember was that Apple was going to make 42- and 50-inch plasma TVs.

On the other hand, the technology for multi-core chips in iPhone-class mobile devices seems to exist. But should we really believe that O'Grady has actual sources this time around?

[bmcgrath]

Interesting... :)

[bbplayer5]

either way i buy the new iphone ever year so... Doesnt matter what it has, ill buy it :p

[schneb]

I want to see the first iPod Cluster. :apple:

[aristotle]

The ignorance in this thread is astounding. What is a CPU? You must be joking.
:rolleyes:

I see a lot of people here confusing mobile ARM processors with desktop processors. They are quite different.

A quad core ARM processor is quite possible but your dual core laptop processor would still kick its arse any day in terms of raw processing power.

I look forward to this new iPhone revision. I should be eligible for an upgrade by the time it comes out.

[Yonizzle]

Hm, just reread the MacRumors post and noticed that you've heard the same thing from independent sources. I've seen in the past that you don't cite your own sources very often, and when you do, they're usually right. So that gives it more credibility in my eyes. I wonder if O'Grady finally got some real contacts or if he's just making some reasonable guesses based on other product announcements.

Either way, I hope something like this is true if it brings real multitasking to the iPhone. The more I use mine, the more irritated I get at having to quit apps.

[branjosef]

9to5mac just published an article stating this wont happen. Don't know what their sources are

[slapppy]

Sounds like more BS to me. We don't even have PUSH yet among other things, and now new hardware is being developed? Get the OS and much needed functions done first before goofing off with other crap is what I say.

[Tallest Skil]

Sounds like more BS to me. We don't even have PUSH yet among other things, and now new hardware is being developed? Get the OS and much needed functions done first before goofing off with other crap is what I say.

We don't have voice dialing and they released the iPhone 3G.

What Steve doesn't need in software we won't get. We'll get equal amounts of both kinds of updates because Apple doesn't listen to the market.

[tuckerja]

ok, a quad-core ARM processor is quad-core, but it is not a desktop or laptop quad-core intel processor. Just because it is a quad-core doesn't mean it has the same abilities as a Core 2 duo. It is a mobile unit, and therefore will probably have a much slower clock speed. The frontside bus will be smaller. The amount of ram won't be as great either. It would make for much faster app usage, and with more ram allow multiple apps to run at the same time easily. This doesn't mean it will outperform a macbook, macbook pro, mac mini, or iMac. It just means it will be a faster iPhone.

[whatever]

What if the tablet is actually a piece of hardware for the iPhone. The iPhone slides into it and gives the user a larger surface!

[Kilamite]

Apple Genius "So...How did your iPhone catch on fire again?"

Me: "Well you see, I utilized the dual-core processor to run the zippo lighter application and the iFart application at the same time and well you guessed it... not a really good thing to do"

Haha, very good.

[kas23]

9to5mac just published an article stating this wont happen. Don't know what their sources are

http://www.9to5mac.com/arm-cortex-a9-multi-core-2010-2009

[twoodcc]

very interesting. looking forward to better hardware in the iphone

[wonderkid]

This may induce flames so hot, asbestos would vaporise, however, it is opinion only, not an order backed up by the full strength of the US military. Read on:

How many of you have rested in bed or on the sofa and toyed around with your iPod Touch or iPhone?

Played for hours with the apps and games? Relaxed, got creative, gone to battle, surfed the web, composed some beats. All with a stress free hassle free intuitive experience previously only offered by one previous 'invention' - the pencil and paper. Robust, immediate, versatile and timeless in it's operation.

Compare, if you will, with (desktop) OS X (and any other OS). No matter your experience, no matter the app, no matter the device - every year, every month, every week, every day, every hour, every minute you devote a significant proportion of your time to organising, re-arranging, struggling with, re-starting, re-configuring your folders, your desktop, your apps, your work, your tasks. Do you really know how to use every feature in software you have been using for over 10 years? Do you REALLY find it intuitive, even using the best designed Logitech mouse, perfectly positioned 20" wide screen monitor and curvy ergonomic keyboard? How long does it take you to perform a task? Do you really enjoy using your computer? Of course, you enjoy your work, but do you really perform as productively with this machinery as you do with the tools available prior to the invention of the transistor?

I don't think so.

Apple, Inc. have achieved something revolutionary with the iPhone/iPod Touch OS, five years in development, absolute secrecy, features and performance beyond anything any blog or rumor site could uncover. A compact robust intuitive OS that even according to Star Trek, would take over 100 years to arrive at.

So (dear Apple) why not discard 'desktop' OS X altogether and simply build a number of iPod Touch type devices of varying form factors - with the same multi-tasking and thoughtful integration as the new (and unexpected) Palm Pre, but with that 'only Apple can do this' perfection of experience?

Yes, I mean, drop the iMac, the MacBook, the Mac Pro completely. Expensive, clunky, un-intuitive machinery that may look appealing, but are not really human friendly the second the hand touches the trackpad or mouse.

Imagine picking up a 9", 15" or even 17" dockable iBook Touch with a slide out QWERTY keyboard, collapsing on the sofa, and selecting the Photoshop and iWork app icons - holding down the 'home' button to allow multiple selections - if you would like them to both run at the same time. Paint, pinch and process with your fingers. Sketch with a stylus if you want! Hold down anywhere on the screen to display a pop up menu and select 'Copy'. Select iWork and Insert/Paste into a spreadsheet that you glide and zoom around using your fingers, punching in figures, dragging columns and applying styles all with the fluidity and ease the living feeling animal mind expects.

Apple, isn't it time to be brave again?

[tonyl]

Multi-Core in iPhone? What for? why not multi-core batteries?

[tuckerja]

You also have to realize that apple is constantly developing hardware. They don't just stop once they have something released and focus in on software. They also can't just stop development of software and focus on hardware. While the iPhone development is a whole group, sub-groups develop different parts. One group works on software, one on hardware. I am sure there are sub-groups within those two groups as well. Before getting upset that this might be happening and there is no mms or video recording, realize that hardware has to evolve. Hardware is the foundation for the software.

People didn't really care about iLife or iWork at Macworld, they wanted new hardware or updated hardware.

[MattInOz]

Battery life?

In theory better.
If you have 4 cores and 1 is powerful enough to react to any demands in sleep then you can shut down the other 3. If you only have one then you are limited to how low sleep power can go.

Even in use you only have to pay for the power you want to use.

In theory.

[donlphi]

Bad move to beef up the iPhone or Touch, they need to keep the performance at the same level for a long time to avoid AppStore costumer confusion. Only change it with radically new models or the tablet.

They could just detect the type of iPhone you have and make the App store only reflect apps that are available on your phone. It detects firmware when you tap download anyway.

Several apps will not download onto your phone until you update your firmware to a certain level. I was having backup issues, so I procrastinated on upgrading my firmware and then I realized certain apps wouldn't download.

I can't imagine the phone making that big of a performance leap anyway.

Don't discourage progress! :D

[FrenchKheldar]

The ignorance in this thread is astounding. What is a CPU? You must be joking.
:rolleyes:

I see a lot of people here confusing mobile ARM processors with desktop processors. They are quite different.

Thank you Aristotle for bringing some sense in this thread. This rumor makes perfect sense and ties up nicely with Snow Leopard. What are the most power-efficient "processing cores" available today? GPU cores. Is it all about GHz today? Not anymore since these things generate way too much heat (ie waste way too much energy) at the speed they need to be run to keep up with Moore's law. Only solution is to have multiple cores, and to have software that can take advantage of it. You can imagine one core for the basic kernel of the OS, 1 core for the iPod part, 1 core for the phone, 1 core for the apps (I'm just simplifying and making things up of course). Don't use the ipod? Turn off that core and save almost 25% of your power draw ! The underlying improvements in Snow Leopard will be easily integrated in the iPhone version of the OS and allows the iPhone to have a much more efficient operation. On desktop machines, Snow Leopard will be all about performances. On mobile devices, it will be all about power management. When using a single and even a dual-core system, these 2 parameters are very much tied together. Not so much when you start having many more cores, and 4 seems like a good start for a phone...

A 32GB, quad-core iPhone would sure be a nice graduation gift this summer... Bring it on Apple !!!

[Kilamite]

Yes, I mean, drop the iMac, the MacBook, the Mac Pro completely. Expensive, clunky, un-intuitive machinery that may look appealing, but are not really human friendly the second the hand touches the trackpad or mouse.

Imagine picking up a 9", 15" or even 17" dockable iBook Touch with a slide out QWERTY keyboard, collapsing on the sofa, and selecting the Photoshop and iWork app icons - holding down the 'home' button to allow multiple selections - if you would like them to both run at the same time. Paint, pinch and process with your fingers. Sketch with a stylus if you want! Hold down anywhere on the screen to display a pop up menu and select 'Copy'. Select iWork and Insert/Paste into a spreadsheet that you glide and zoom around using your fingers, punching in figures, dragging columns and applying styles all with the fluidity and ease the living feeling animal mind expects.

Apple, isn't it time to be brave again?

Um, first off. Power.

Second, size. As much as I like my iPhone, I simply much prefer using my MacBook Pro for everyday things. I can type at 90+ words per minute (I can do something like 30 on the iPhone), and big screen size, can multitask, do anything.

[Lepton]

An iPhone has not got the juice to support a quad processor. But the NetPad (http://www.myallo.com/blog/2008/12/apples-next-new-device/) sure can! If you've seen the info on the new batteries in the MacBook Pro, the cells are really thin. The Pro has two layers of them, but think one layer taking half the space in the NetPad and bingo! That's where a quad processor will go.

[wizard]

Interesting. Wonder if they'll ever allow multiple apps to run at once.

I really hope so. As both a user and developer the ability to run multiple apps is critical to many. As a developer it adds the potential for many useful apps.

Guess at the very least it'll add juice to more powerful apps.

It should! However do realize that the iPhone has several ARM processors in it already. These are not accessible to user apps but rather are in various signal processing chains. Apple could transfer a lot of that signal processing to the main processor complex. Qualcomm has suggested as much for some of it's SMP SoC that they are promoting.

Let's hope that Apple doesn't go overboard with that approach. In any event even a couple of processors combined with GPU processing could make for a vastly improved iPhone. More importantly a Newton 2 type tablet could be very impressive.

Now if only Apple could get the product out the door.


Dave

[Dagless]

Woa.

This would be very interesting - and the device would be extremely powerful and definitely put a hole in the mobile gaming market.

How so? Look at the current mobile gaming market (I'm assuming you mean DS+PSP in there too, my mistake if not), the DS is leaps behind the PSP in terms of hardware capability but the DS is still the most sold system and has more higher rated games.
IMO I don't like playing big powerful games on something not fully cut out for gaming as an iPhone, I don't even go for that stuff on my PSP.

I like the sound of a multicore iPhone though if it means running more apps side by side, and of course for power saving reasons.

[DaBrain]

Don't you want a Snappier iFart?

Awwww Man! Now that Stinks! ;):D

[wizard]

Bad move to beef up the iPhone or Touch, they need to keep the performance at the same level for a long time to avoid AppStore costumer confusion. Only change it with radically new models or the tablet.
No reasonable person can say that the iPhone is currently at an acceptable performance level. Beyond that limiting performance so that the ignorant don't get confused on serves to punish the user base as a whole. It also tends to emulate the portable game platform market where the platforms quickly become stagnent.

Apple needs to improve performance with each and every hardware release. It keeps the platform vibrant with continously improving feature sets.

Dave

[D3lta]

Would definitely upgrade to this.

[kastenbrust]

They will put 4 cores in a phone, while the 17inch MBP is still at 2 cores. WTF?

Its easier to put 4 cores in a phone than in the MBP because its only a cheap processor theyre making into 4 cores, its not like theyre putting a 90C socket 775 monster in there.

[Compile 'em all]

We already are. Color me EXTREMELY skeptical with this rumor. Quad-core in a hand held? Come on.

Did you actually read TFA?

[Rocketman]

iPhone 3.x OS with Snow Leopard underpinnings and an alternate GUI app for desktop like functionality?

Clustering? How about OLPC like net capability for local users? With ability to run apps on the server side, who really needs it?

Is this finally ATNN?

Rocketman

[Compile 'em all]

How so? Look at the current mobile gaming market (I'm assuming you mean DS+PSP in there too, my mistake if not), the DS is leaps behind the PSP in terms of hardware capability but the DS is still the most sold system and has more higher rated games.
IMO I don't like playing big powerful games on something not fully cut out for gaming as an iPhone, I don't even go for that stuff on my PSP.


What do you mean the iPhone is not "fully cut out for gaming"? Do you also consider the Wii not fully cut out for gaming? Look at when the appstore was released and now how many games sell per day on the platform. The market and potential of that thing is huge.

[mkrishnan]

It also tends to emulate the portable game platform market where the platforms quickly become stagnent.

Except, as Raggedjimmi pointed out, two replies above yours, the history of games on the DS (and the GBA and the GBC before it) completely contradicts this logic.

When the DS Lite is in shortage at Christmas time, some five or six years after the DS came out, and it routinely has games that outsell games on the newest consoles, it's very hard to agree with your logic.

Nonetheless, I think perhaps what can happen with gaming on the iPhone is that the more sophisticated 3D games -- the next generations of the Brothers in Arms type games -- will perhaps have to have varying levels of rendering, just like desktop games do, so that they can work across the iPhone/iPod line.

[Desfolio]

Great, I'm sure iphone developers would take advantage of this. Also I hope Firmware 3.0 or earlier includes push notification b/c it's LONG overdue.

[wizard]

Agree. What a dumb move! A quad core phone?

It would be one very smart move to have 4 cores in a SMP configuration. In any event people don't realize that the iPhone already has many ARM cores in it. By some counts 5 cores. These are NOT cores free to user processes but rather hang out in the I/O subsystems. If Apple can reconfigure iPhone to make more cores available to the user, we as users will win big time.

Nobody wants a quad core phone.

Yes we do. You would too if you knew what this could mean for you in the future.

I want an iPhone with battery life, copy & past and background notifications.
Quad cores make all that possible along with performance when you need it.


Dave

[marcus1]

With these improvements could it handle video chat? Assuming a camera upgrade of course.

[Rorikynn]

I'm sorry, but a quad-core iPhone (discreet cores) is not going to happen. First off, the Cortex A-9 and A-8 are not targeted towards ultra compact mobile devices like phones and iPods. Battery life would just suck, and we all know Apple is all about extending battery life. The ARM1176JZF-S CPU used in the iPhone and iPod touch do have co-processors that help the main CPU and lower power consumption by being specialized (MP4 acceleration and what not).

That's the reason why you want multiple cores. Power consumption grows with the square of clock speed. If you have four cores, running at a fourth of the clock speed, you get the same performance at a quarter of the power consumption. Four cores at half speed = twice the performance at the same power consumption as a single core.

It doesn't work out all neat and pretty like that. Multithread scaling is not perfectly linear by any means. If that was true, why stop at four! why not have 16 ARM11s in that bitch all running at 1/16 of the clock speed...0mgZ0rs!

Personally, I think the ARM11 CPU has the power for what the iPhone and iPod Touch is used for. I say reduce the process (90nm > 65nm > 45nm), tweak the design for efficiency (P.A. Semi), and increase the clock speed a tad; increasing performance as well as battery life.

I would much rather have more battery life than a moronic quad-core crippled iPhone / iPod Touch. The battery tech isn't there yet (and the new 17" MBP's battery is nothing special. It's the same lithium-polymer technology just in a different form factor and larger). I'd much rather have push or regulated background process support than a dual or quad cpu in my Touch.


Quad cores make all that possible along with performance when you need it.
Dave

LOL. I think not. I need quad-core to do copy & paste? Simply moronic.

[Lucbert]

Quad cores make all that possible along with performance when you need it.


Dave

Ok, but Quad Core is definitely not needed to implement Notifications and C&P.
I just don't understand why they already develop 3.0 instead of just releasing the long promised Notifications.

[argor]

The ignorance in this thread is astounding. What is a CPU? You must be joking.
:rolleyes:

I see a lot of people here confusing mobile ARM processors with desktop processors. They are quite different.

A quad core ARM processor is quite possible but your dual core laptop processor would still kick its arse any day in terms of raw processing power.

I look forward to this new iPhone revision. I should be eligible for an upgrade by the time it comes out.
i have seen a ARM Cortex-A9 MPCore whith 4 cores benchmark and and it performs is similar to 70-80 % of intel core 2 it may out perform mobile parts by intel than for them for just part of the power needed to run a similar intel
part
leet see if i can find the pdf

[IndyJonez]

I would love to see full fledged OSX on a 4.5" screen iPhone Pro on Verizon or Sprint or completely unlocked so we won't have to bother with AT&T's shortcomings.

Now you're just talkin' dirty!!! Keep goin! :D

Don't discourage progress! :D

No kidding! Seems to me over half the folks here are actually PISSED that apple would even consider this. What gives? I like :apple: and want to see new things, don't you?

A 32GB, quad-core iPhone would sure be a nice graduation gift this summer... Bring it on Apple !!!

I hope you get your wish along with mine. ;)

With these improvements could it handle video chat? Assuming a camera upgrade of course.

That would be really cool. I would think they would have to keep it affordable though. Ya know, more folks with video-chat capable handsets the more people would use the service.

[SFStateStudent]

I invite a webcam or iSight attachment (or built in) to my 3G iPhone any day of the week with open arms. If a multi-core iPhone will bring about these changes, then so-be-it...:cool:

[QuantumLo0p]

Wow, very cool news.

This is much more interesting than the non-event that just happened and also the GALH. (the Gaping Apple Lineup Hole)
:D

Tangent....
Perhaps this will help Apple stock climb up from its recent dip that resulted from that waste-O-time-non-event. Maybe Apple will learn to keep moving forward and not rely on it laurels.

[lazyrighteye]

What if iPhone software 3.0 was really intended to power the new MacTablet that's going to come out? Maybe that's the device that could really benefit from that type of optimization.

*walks away whistling as the eager kids jump on the remarks*

jW

This implementation seem more plausible to me that in a phone.

[gnasher729]

An iPhone has not got the juice to support a quad processor.

Of course it has. Four cores running at half speed each use the same power as a single core at full speed at twice the total performance.

i have seen a ARM Cortex-A9 MPCore whith 4 cores benchmark and and it performs is similar to 70-80 % of intel core 2 it may out perform mobile parts by intel than for them for just part of the power needed to run a similar intel part

Last time I wrote some serious ARM code, I measured that a 200 MHz ARM had performance equivalent to an 800 MHz Pentium IV. Now Intel has improved a lot, but I think ARM has as well.

[ChuckG]

Well, this certainly comes as a relief having seen the new Palm Pre unearthed. With a much more powerful chip, I'm sure the iPhone UI is about to get its biggest graphics and hardware update.

More HUD-like transparencies, 3d interfaces and animations, copy+paste, background processes, and notifications should be in iPhone 3.0. Not to mention a real turn-by-turn GPS app.

From what I've seen, the new Palm device has some UI candy that is making me (an iPhone user) jealous. Their induction-based charger completely beat Apple to the punch.

[IndyJonez]

Well, this certainly comes as a relief having seen the new Palm Pre unearthed. With a much more powerful chip, I'm sure the iPhone UI is about to get its biggest graphics and hardware update.

More HUD-like transparencies, 3d interfaces and animations, copy+paste, background processes, and notifications should be in iPhone 3.0. Not to mention a real turn-by-turn GPS app.

From what I've seen, the new Palm device has some UI candy that is making me (an iPhone user) jealous. Their induction-based charger completely beat Apple to the punch.

I was juuust about to mention the palm pre before I read your post.

Wasn't the 'pre' announced today? Or am I wrong?

I guess this is why were getting this juicy piece of a rumor this afternoon wouldn't you think? :D

[chrmjenkins]

I personally don't see a reason for anything more than a dual-core iphone. Assuming it is still a single-task device, one core handles the current process and the other handles anything going on in the background.

Similarly, as someone mentioned, the Cortex line is not made for devices as small as the iphone. It is made for things like MIDs, and they want to put them in netbooks. I think the prudent thing to do is take advantage of process shrinks and custom designed SoCs.

[IndyJonez]

Well, this certainly comes as a relief having seen the new Palm Pre unearthed. With a much more powerful chip, I'm sure the iPhone UI is about to get its biggest graphics and hardware update.

More HUD-like transparencies, 3d interfaces and animations, copy+paste, background processes, and notifications should be in iPhone 3.0. Not to mention a real turn-by-turn GPS app.

From what I've seen, the new Palm device has some UI candy that is making me (an iPhone user) jealous. Their induction-based charger completely beat Apple to the punch.

Tell me more please.

Any good links with info on processor and this charger you speak of?

k, thanks.

[areyouwishing]

Wow, surprised I didn't see anyone comment about the Pre by Palm.

Calendar in iPhone still can't use multiple calendar sources (exchange, gmail, facebook) and it certainly can't show the concurrently.

I cannot go from 3rd party app directly to 3rd party app without making a pitstop at the home screen.

I still don't have spotlight/inquisitor for the entire phone (gotta go to safari to search the web, gotta go to contacts to search for them, and forget searching email)

I still don't have turn by turn directions.

Still no flash on the camera

still no option of a physical keyboard

I still can't read a consolidated inbox that shows ALL my inbound email (from multiple accounts)

Still can't have 2 drafts open at the same time

still don't have native unified messaging (IM, SMS, MMS) in a single thread

BUT I am getting 4 cores...AWESOME DUDE!

[ivladster]

Think about it? Does apple really wants such power to a phone. I mean they have so many other plans for iPhone. I think this power is for something else. Remember iPhone was in such secrecy that people couldn't believe that Apple was researching portable chips etc.
I think something else Touchy is coming.

[Masquerade]

i couldnt preview quad-core chips in iphone soon because there are phones like omnia that have chips from imagination more advanced (with open gl es 2) than the current iphone 3g and those were disponible long time before the iphone 3g production.

[ieko]

Wow, surprised I didn't see anyone comment about the Pre by Palm.

Calendar in iPhone still can't use multiple calendar sources (exchange, gmail, facebook) and it certainly can't show the concurrently.

I cannot go from 3rd party app directly to 3rd party app without making a pitstop at the home screen.

I still don't have spotlight/inquisitor for the entire phone (gotta go to safari to search the web, gotta go to contacts to search for them, and forget searching email)

I still don't have turn by turn directions.

Still no flash on the camera

still no option of a physical keyboard

I still can't read a consolidated inbox that shows ALL my inbound email (from multiple accounts)

Still can't have 2 drafts open at the same time

still don't have native unified messaging (IM, SMS, MMS) in a single thread

BUT I am getting 4 cores...AWESOME DUDE!
Yeah, I was thinking the same thing -- I'm surprised there isn't a news thread about the pre here.

Basically, I love my iPhone, hate AT&T (200 or 1500 txt messages, come on?) and from what I can tell the Pre has everything I want and more that the iPhone doesn't offer. I want a Palm Pre on Verizon, now.

[wonderkid]

Power? My iPod touch 2G runs a flight sim called X-Plane that allows me to throw an Airbus 380 around at 30FPS with full texture mapping. And if you're referring to power consumption, my iPod runs all day.

Tripple the performance, size and price, and you have your iBook Touch.

Wonderkid out

Um, first off. Power.

Second, size. As much as I like my iPhone, I simply much prefer using my MacBook Pro for everyday things. I can type at 90+ words per minute (I can do something like 30 on the iPhone), and big screen size, can multitask, do anything.

[eedna]

i just want flash support damnit

[basesloaded190]

Yeah, I was thinking the same thing -- I'm surprised there isn't a news thread about the pre here.

Basically, I love my iPhone, hate AT&T (200 or 1500 txt messages, come on?) and from what I can tell the Pre has everything I want and more that the iPhone doesn't offer. I want a Palm Pre on Verizon, now.

There is a thread on the Pre.
Not going to happen on Verizon, They seem set on a Sprint only release

[dentaldoc]

So soon after this disastrous Macworld, you "source-erors" are already out with more predictions; I don't see how you so-called reporters have the chutzpa to be making any references to "reliable sources". Is this a (bad) joke?

The Mini "source-erors" were supposedly so reliable that they could recite dozens of details about the machine, such as SATA drives, Superdrive-to-SATA HD swaps, amount of maximum RAM, material for the case including the color, exact chipset, how many USB connections, what version of Firewire, etc, etc! Even the design of the lip around the box so as to disguise and unify the look of a SuperDrive vs a dual HD configuration.

It seems like these days anybody can hallucinate anything, provide zero corroborating evidence, and you guys just suck it up, and refer to your "reliable sources". Who are these reliable sources? Do they live on snow-covered mountaintops in Nepal receiving their knowledge through "Mini" meditations?

In rational places this is known as "wishful thinking" and sometimes as lying. And that's all it was. In retrospect, you had nothing but your desire for these things to come true. And apparently believed the premise that if you repeat something enough times it will come true.

So here goes; Here is what I heard from my "resource–eror": the new Mini is indeed coming, next month. It had been delayed because Apple needed a little extra time to perfect their new genetically engineered green frogs whose brains have been configured to function as the CPU's, and furthermore, as the frogs procreate inside each machine (the heat inside the machine stimulates the activity of these ectotherms) the number of processors increases, giving you continuously increasing power when you need it. The only drawback is that you have to have a continuous supply of dead flies to keep the frogs working (this is a documented bug). But, as even Apple has admitted, no computer is truly "bug–free".

Another fact from my "resource–erors": This will certainly be the greenest machine Apple, or anyone else for that matter, has ever put forth.

Please don't trip over each other to be the first to get the story from this "source–eror" on to your rumor site. It a big one.

[Nikos]

lol @ the iPhone possibly getting quad core processors before MacBooks. Also, as a gamer, I don't see it taking over the gaming market in the slightest bit unless it has regular buttons.

[basesloaded190]

So soon after this disastrous Macworld, you "source-erors" are already out with more predictions; I don't see how you so-called reporters have the chutzpa to be making any references to "reliable sources". Is this a (bad) joke?

The Mini "source-erors" were supposedly so reliable that they could recite dozens of details about the machine, such as SATA drives, Superdrive-to-SATA HD swaps, amount of maximum RAM, material for the case including the color, exact chipset, how many USB connections, what version of Firewire, etc, etc! Even the design of the lip around the box so as to disguise and unify the look of a SuperDrive vs a dual HD configuration.

It seems like these days anybody can hallucinate anything, provide zero corroborating evidence, and you guys just suck it up, and refer to your "reliable sources". Who are these reliable sources? Do they live on snow-covered mountaintops in Nepal receiving their knowledge through "Mini" meditations?

In rational places this is known as "wishful thinking" and sometimes as lying. And that's all it was. In retrospect, you had nothing but your desire for these things to come true. And apparently believed the premise that if you repeat something enough times it will come true.

So here goes; Here is what I heard from my "resource–eror": the new Mini is indeed coming, next month. It had been delayed because Apple needed a little extra time to perfect their new genetically engineered green frogs whose brains have been configured to function as the CPU's, and furthermore, as the frogs procreate inside each machine (the heat inside the machine stimulates the activity of these ectotherms) the number of processors increases, giving you continuously increasing power when you need it. The only drawback is that you have to have a continuous supply of dead flies to keep the frogs working (this is a documented bug) But, as even Apple has admitted, no computer is truly "bug–free".

Another fact from my "resource–erors": This will certainly be the greenest machine Apple, or anyone else for that matter, has ever put forth.

Please don't trip over each other to be the first to get the story from this "source–eror" on to your rumor site. It a big one.

They Call this site MacRumors for a reason.
If you don't have anything to contribute to this thread please don't bother

[oticon6]

I'm pretty sure this rumour would be false. The biggest issue with programming for the iPhone is not the processor speed but the memory speed. Things that occur really quickly on a desktop take an incredibly long time on portable devices, and it's always been this way. Unless Apple has developed new RAM technology (doubt it), we won't be seeing much more performance from the iPhone.

I'm guessing Apple is planning on an ARM-based netbook... which is an interesting approach. If they want it to run full OSX, we'll need an Intel-to-ARM compatibility layer and incentive for developers to start on yet another platform. They did a good job with Rosetta though, and Cocoa is pretty versatile... it'd be out there, but not ridiculous.

[actionbastard]

That the lack of product introduction at this year's Macworld has made the entire Macintosh community delusional. NO ARM A10 multi-cores until 2010 -at the earliest- 2011 is more likely. Take a break. Relax. Go play Tetris.

[ChuckG]

Tell me more please.

Any good links with info on processor and this charger you speak of?

k, thanks.

I am referring to the overall innovations presented by Palm. Today's announcements were the most innovative in the industry since MW07.

More info on the charger here (http://www.engadget.com/2009/01/08/palm-pres-wireless-charger/)

Engadget on the chip:"TI's new OMAP CPU under the hood -- which Palm claims provides laptop-style power"

More info on the chip here here (http://www.arm.com/iqonline/news/ARMnews/23968.html)

"With more than four times the processing capability of today's 300 MHz ARM9 processor-based devices, the superscalar Cortex-A8 processor runs up to 600 MHz and is integrated into four new OMAP35x applications processors for a wide range of possible applications, including portable infotainment and industrial devices, points of sale, digital signage and low-power medical devices."

[DMann]

I do see dual-core ARM coming to the iPhone since it'll definitely put the iPhone ahead of the competition. I don't think quad-core is likely though. As others have said, the performance requirement just isn't there to make it worthwhile. And besides, I thought the quad-core ARM designs were primarily aimed at set-top boxes, in dash computers, MIDs, and other larger devices rather than a smartphone.

Think Snow Leopard...

[vansouza]

http://www.macrumors.com/images/macrumorsthreadlogo.gif (http://www.macrumors.com/2009/01/08/new-multi-core-iphone-with-firmware-3-0/)

ZDNet reports (http://blogs.zdnet.com/Apple/?p=2745) that the iPhone 3.0 firmware will support quad-core processors in an upcoming iPhone hardware revision. While Apple has not yet detailed iPhone 3.0 firmware, MacRumors has independently heard of this same multi-core support in the 3.0 firmware which should accompany the next iPhone.

Meanwhile, Imagination Technologies is announcing (http://www.tgdaily.com/content/view/40899/135/) a multi-core GPU that could be suitable for iPhone use. Apple, an investor in Imagination Technologies, presently uses a less powerful version of their PowerVR GPU in the iPhone and iPod touch.

The likely candidate for the new iPhone's CPU, however, is a derivative of the ARM Cortex A9 (http://www.arm.com/products/CPUs/ARMCortex-A9_MPCore.html) multi-core processor. The ARM Cortex has excellent power efficiency (http://blogs.computerworld.com/apples_tablet_to_be_based_on_arm_cortex_architecture), well ahead of Intel's Atom offerings. Apple appears to be an ARM architectural licensee and their acquisition of P.A. Semi has brought low-power chip design expertise into the company.

Article Link: New Multi-Core iPhone with Firmware 3.0? (http://www.macrumors.com/2009/01/08/new-multi-core-iphone-with-firmware-3-0/)

I take it these are the same sources that said the Mac mini was getting upgraded at MWorld... along with the other rumors... from strong sources.

[ChuckG]

I was juuust about to mention the palm pre before I read your post.

Wasn't the 'pre' announced today? Or am I wrong?

I guess this is why were getting this juicy piece of a rumor this afternoon wouldn't you think? :D

Exactly Indy. It was announced just today. :o

The timing of these types of new Apple stories are all too convenient to deflect what was the most exciting device announcement of the year, so far.

In the long run, I'm sure Apple's newly found chip expertise will squash Palm's Pre in performance. The fact that Palm's efforts are being led by an ex-Apple exec makes me wary and hopeful its innovation will keep the iPhone division on their toes after half-baked offerings from RIM, LG, and HTC.

I reckon only Palm and Msft can build iPhone-worthy competitors due to their competence on both soft/hard ware.

[IndyJonez]

I am referring to the overall innovations presented by Palm. Today's announcements were the most innovative in the industry since MW07.

More info on the charger here (http://www.engadget.com/2009/01/08/palm-pres-wireless-charger/)

Engadget on the chip:"TI's new OMAP CPU under the hood -- which Palm claims provides laptop-style power"

More info on the chip here here (http://www.arm.com/iqonline/news/ARMnews/23968.html)

"With more than four times the processing capability of today's 300 MHz ARM9 processor-based devices, the superscalar Cortex-A8 processor runs up to 600 MHz and is integrated into four new OMAP35x applications processors for a wide range of possible applications, including portable infotainment and industrial devices, points of sale, digital signage and low-power medical devices."

Thank You.

It seems like these days anybody can hallucinate anything, provide zero corroborating evidence, and you guys just suck it up, and refer to your "reliable sources". Who are these reliable sources? Do they live on snow-covered mountaintops in Nepal receiving their knowledge through "Mini" meditations?

LMFAO!!! Hahaha. Good Stuff right there.:rolleyes:

[joemama]

Quad Core???!!? Let's not get ahead of ourselves.

Let's work on being able to send a photo from your iPhone first.....(and don't reply with "you can via emai...")

Let's work on running Flash

[IndyJonez]

Quad Core???!!? Let's not get ahead of ourselves.

Let's work on being able to send a photo from your iPhone first.....(and don't reply with "you can via emai...")

Let's work on running Flash

Quad Core with Firmware 3.0

Could possibly mean we see these in 3.0, who knows? :rolleyes:

[Reverendrun]

lol, the iPhone is going to get quad-core before the iMac or mini. :p

[leishan]

lol, the iPhone is going to get quad-core before the iMac or mini. :p

:D hehe...

[vogelhausdesign]

good to know the iPhone could be receiving another huge update in just under 2 years.

3 problems.

#1. Battery life? I mean.. that thing would melt a hole in your pocket in that tiny device.

#2. Isn't apple trying to slim down devices.. ( and the cost)

#3. It isn't a computer.

My guess is they are going to test this in either a netbook, or try dueling them for a tablet.

[dwd3885]

Quad Core with Firmware 3.0

Could possibly mean we see these in 3.0, who knows? :rolleyes:

no. it means the next iphone will have 3.0 and quad core. you can't enable quad core with a firmware update

[IndyJonez]

no. it means the next iphone will have 3.0 and quad core. you can't enable quad core with a firmware update

Sorry for the confusion. That's what I meant. I thought you were saying if the quad core and 3.0 were in the next phone it wouldn't have these things even then.

[dam0dred]

As much as I don't really want to buy another pricy phone, I hope Apple refreshes the iPhone this year. All the little hiccups and delays when doing things as simple as loading Contacts are really starting to get to me.

[MacsBestFriend]

i cant wait... faster ipod touch, y'all!

[Razeus]

I've had my G1 iPhone for a year now. I plan on getting the next release, hoping for better processors, call quality (I hear the 3G drops calls), and larger capacity, cheaper prices, and hopefully a better performing camera, preferrably 3.0MP. I figure, if I'm going to lock myself into a 2 year contract, might as get the latest release in 6 months and be content. By the time the 2 year is up, I can re-valuate my phone choices or just get iPhone 5.0

I would take this talk with a grain of salt, as I see that Macrumors is just a site full of fluff, with no verifiable sources for the things that are posted here. I mean, this site totally missed the mark all the way around (iWork going on line, Mac mini fiasco, other hardware freshes). So again, take it with a grain of salt. Especially when there's talk have a quad core iPhone....:rolleyes:

[ateslik]

Oh wow! What if they also added firewire to the Macbooks! That would be SICK!

[QuarterSwede]

#1. Battery life? I mean.. that thing would melt a hole in your pocket in that tiny device.
Does anyone even read the articles linked to or, heck, even the entire original post? I'm not just picking on you, several people have said the exact same thing.

Arm Cortex has excellent power efficiency. (http://blogs.computerworld.com/apples_tablet_to_be_based_on_arm_cortex_architecture)

It's not going to burn a whole in your pocket because it can do a lot more per clock cycle than what's current (they compare it to KILLING the Intel Atom). Multiple cores mean more computing power per clock cycle NOT more power usage.

[penguy]

lol, the iPhone is going to get quad-core before the iMac or mini. :p

ouch! that hurts! :eek:

[basesloaded190]

Does anyone even read the articles linked to or, heck, even the entire original post? I'm not just picking on you, several people have said the exact same thing.

Arm Cortex has excellent power efficiency. (http://blogs.computerworld.com/apples_tablet_to_be_based_on_arm_cortex_architecture)

It's not going to burn a whole in your pocket because it can do a lot more per clock cycle than what's current (they compare it to KILLING the Intel Atom). Multiple cores mean more computing power per clock cycle NOT more power usage.

Thanks for linking to that article. It really shows just how much ARM is going to kill intel as far as battery life AND speed. Thats the most important thing to me, battery life. Any improvement to the current iphone is welcomed as far as battery life is concerned

[dukebound85]

give it a mini display port that incorporates a usb adapter....haha

[akarmenia]

Does anyone know when it will come out? Obviously in 2009. July is when there are major iPhone updates for 2 years in a row, but an update in December 2008 to January 2009 is due.

[MBAir]

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 2_2 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/525.18.1 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/3.1.1 Mobile/5G77 Safari/525.20)

Get a life guys.

Sorry had to say it.

[nxent]

so... No iPhone g5, then?

[JohnnyQuest]

I hope this is true! I bought my iPhone in March of 2008 (before 3G came was released). And I don't want to upgrade now because an update should be released soon, and I'm fairly content with my G1 iPhone and the cheaper monthly fee. But I'm excited to see what the next-gen iPhone will be!

[akarmenia]

I hope this is true! I bought my iPhone in March of 2008 (before 3G came was released). And I don't want to upgrade now because an update should be released soon, and I'm fairly content with my G1 iPhone and the cheaper monthly fee. But I'm excited to see what the next-gen iPhone will be!

I agree with you JohnnyQuest, it's best to wait. I wanted the 3G, but I knew a better one was coming. Check out the buyersguide before it comes out, it is really useful.

[Bubba Satori]

What if iPhone software 3.0 was really intended to power the new MacTablet that's going to come out? Maybe that's the device that could really benefit from that type of optimization.

*walks away whistling as the eager kids jump on the remarks*

jW


That's what I'm thinking.

[dvince2]

Apple would do that...
imagine quad-core iPod touches and iPhones before iMacs, MBPs and MBs:rolleyes:

[Neebee]

Quad Core???!!? Let's not get ahead of ourselves.

Let's work on being able to send a photo from your iPhone first.....(and don't reply with "you can via emai...")

Let's work on running Flash

And copy and paste too!

Of course, according to Apple, most iPhone disciples would just dump their old iPhone and buy the newer, improved version that has the missing featured. Oddly, there are a lot of these disciples around, especially during this recession (so they hope).

[dukebound85]

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 2_2 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/525.18.1 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/3.1.1 Mobile/5G77 Safari/525.20)

Get a life guys.

Sorry had to say it.

dont like the thread, dont post

sorry had to say it:rolleyes:

[powers74]

What would be better would be to utilize the multi-core processor to run the zippo lighter application and the iFart application at the same time and blow my phone up. I wonder if that would void it's warranty.


And we already have the best post of 2009

[akacaj]

This is great news! Finally enough power to perform copy and paste commands!

[branjosef]

We all know that this new multi-core iphone with firmware 3.0 is in fact the fabled iphone nano. The regular iphone will just see a minor memory boost to 32gb. It's apple's quirky new business philosophy of giving customers what they want...but in a bizarre, illogical, and irrational way. What's next....a non-removable battery in a professional grade laptop (Oh wait ) :eek:



:rolleyes:

[Morvajo]

quad-core iphone? gimme!

[MattInOz]

So (dear Apple) why not discard 'desktop' OS X altogether and simply build a number of iPod Touch type devices of varying form factors - with the same multi-tasking and thoughtful integration as the new (and unexpected) Palm Pre, but with that 'only Apple can do this' perfection of experience?


Apple, isn't it time to be brave again?

It's called Snow Leopard, everything Apple learned about building the OS for a Phone on your desktop.

[MattInOz]

What's next....a non-removable battery in a professional grade laptop (Oh wait ) :eek:



:rolleyes:

Well if 83% of the replacement batteries sold are to your own service division.
Then why not.

[firewood]

The iPhone already has somewhere between 3 and 6 CPUs running inside it. (To find out exactly how many, you'd have to grind off the tops of the processor chip, the cell phone baseband chip, the audio DSP codec, the MPEG/H.264 chip, the wifi chip, the GPS chip, the graphics subsystem chip, the camera controller chip, etc., then analyze and count the silicon logic areas.) But they are all on separate chips or semiconductor IP blocks, and thus currently can't share any tasks. Integrate all of that stuff on one chip, and you automatically have somewhere around a quad-core processor. Plus that's the direction that all the CPU companies are going. Intel is already experimenting with a 32-core chip architecture that runs cool, as part of their future R&D.

.

[Firefly2002]

iso photoshop on iPhones...

[mikeinternet]

My guess is an hardware updated iPhone by late 2009.

JUNE

[BTW]

My guess is an hardware updated iPhone by late 2009.

I doubt that late. This quad core/PowerVR new deal with dual cams for iChat video will most likely be 2010's model. I'm sure Apple will stick to their summer schedule of releasing new iPhones.

What I am surprised about is that Apple isn't doing minor updates. That is, bumping the memory and camera megapixels of the current iPhones. Will we see a 32Gb iPhone this year. With all the games, contacts, photos, and movies one would believe they'd need cram more memory in their devices to please the consumer.

[Duncan-Idaho]

I would take this talk with a grain of salt, as I see that Macrumors is just a site full of fluff, with no verifiable sources for the things that are posted here.

Haha, WRONG. I've followed this site for 9 years now. Have you? MacRumors has been an invaluable asset to the mac rumor community, effectively providing relative news and rumors. The site is rarely 100% accurate, that's why it's called MacRumors, not MacFacts.

To stay on topic, I predict a new iPhone sooner than later. The buyer's guide reveals the iPhone lifespan:

3G iPhone: 182 days and counting
1st gen iPhone: 126 days

Apple won't release the new iPhone when it's ready, they'll release it when they can maximize profits. Fastest growing tech company for a reason

[the vj]

Why a multicore iPhone?

To have a render farm?

[akarmenia]

Haha, WRONG. I've followed this site for 9 years now. Have you? MacRumors has been an invaluable asset to the mac rumor community, effectively providing relative news and rumors. The site is rarely 100% accurate, that's why it's called MacRumors, not MacFacts.

To stay on topic, I predict a new iPhone sooner than later. The buyer's guide reveals the iPhone lifespan:

3G iPhone: 182 days and counting
1st gen iPhone: 126 days

Apple won't release the new iPhone when it's ready, they'll release it when they can maximize profits. Fastest growing tech company for a reason

I agree with everything you say. Apple will wait a while before releasing it. They are not concerned with constantly improving their products if it means they lose money on their premature release.

[IndyJonez]

Haha, WRONG. I've followed this site for 9 years now. Have you? MacRumors has been an invaluable asset to the mac rumor community, effectively providing relative news and rumors. The site is rarely 100% accurate, that's why it's called MacRumors, not MacFacts.

To stay on topic, I predict a new iPhone sooner than later. The buyer's guide reveals the iPhone lifespan:

3G iPhone: 182 days and counting
1st gen iPhone: 126 days

Apple won't release the new iPhone when it's ready, they'll release it when they can maximize profits. Fastest growing tech company for a reason

It's late, I'm tired, so maybe I'm reading your post wrong but are you saying that the 1st gen iphone's 2nd anniversary is in 126 days and the 3G's first in 182 days?

Off to bed, I'll read your reply in the morning.

Peace.

[bdkennedy1]

That's interesting. I didn't know I needed multiple cores to operate one program at a time.

Sarcasm aside, they would have to come up with a revolutionary, break-thru battery for something like that.

Don't see it happening.

[Duncan-Idaho]

It's late, I'm tired, so maybe I'm reading your post wrong but are you saying that the 1st gen iphone's 2nd anniversary is in 126 days and the 3G's first in 182 days?

Off to bed, I'll read your reply in the morning.

Peace.

Haha, ok I'll explain.

The first iPhone was released June 29, 2007. 126 days later, it was replaced by the 3G iPhone, the date was July 11, 2008. So, the 3G iPhone has been out for 182 days and counting.

I was speculating about Apple's refresh time concerning iPhones. Check out the MacRumors buyer's guide (http://buyersguide.macrumors.com/).

[Balty]

Haha, WRONG. I've followed this site for 9 years now. Have you? MacRumors has been an invaluable asset to the mac rumor community, effectively providing relative news and rumors. The site is rarely 100% accurate, that's why it's called MacRumors, not MacFacts.

To stay on topic, I predict a new iPhone sooner than later. The buyer's guide reveals the iPhone lifespan:

3G iPhone: 182 days and counting
1st gen iPhone: 126 days

Apple won't release the new iPhone when it's ready, they'll release it when they can maximize profits. Fastest growing tech company for a reason

Yeah, I agree with your 'findings'. :D

[iansilv]

Do you think then they might be able to add cut and paste?!

LOL! Seriously!

[ndstrenge]

Do you think then they might be able to add cut and paste?!

all i want is a 32gig iphone with a better camera and a flash, thats all :apple:

With these improvements could it handle video chat? Assuming a camera upgrade of course.

Ironically, WebEx runs on an iPhone? :rolleyes:

I invite a webcam or iSight attachment (or built in) to my 3G iPhone any day of the week with open arms. If a multi-core iPhone will bring about these changes, then so-be-it...:cool:

They don't need multi-core to run that. I have no idea why they don't aside from holding tricks from us so we upgrade.

Come to Japan, EVERY mobile phone has a video-conferencing/camera... even the free ones. My wife's (which was the same price as the iPhone) has a 5mp camera! Needless to say... sales are crap over here... which further explains why the first generation wasn't even available (they knew they could never compete.)

[VTECaddict]

I would love to see full fledged OSX on a 4.5" screen iPhone Pro on Verizon or Sprint or completely unlocked so we won't have to bother with AT&T's shortcomings.
verizon/sprint versions will not happen, because that would mean apple would need to make two versions: CDMA and GSM/UMTS for the rest of the world. unless they make CDMA only and not sell it to the rest of the world (yeah, right...).

fully unlocked in the US will not help much either, because there's only AT&T unless they add in 1700mhz UMTS for T-Mobile 3G support. but even then, T-Mobile's 3G is just barely getting off the ground and nowhere near as built out as AT&T's so instead of speed issues you would have 3G coverage issues and fall back to EDGE.

[pavelbure]

Haha, ok I'll explain.

The first iPhone was released June 29, 2007. 126 days later, it was replaced by the 3G iPhone, the date was July 11, 2008. So, the 3G iPhone has been out for 182 days and counting.

I was speculating about Apple's refresh time concerning iPhones. Check out the MacRumors buyer's guide (http://buyersguide.macrumors.com/).


please check a calendar and how many days are in a year.

[camperdown9]

My guess is an hardware updated iPhone by late 2009.

That would be great timing as I would be due an upgrade around then:)

[Bye Bye Baby]

At this rate, we'll probably have quad-core iPhones before quad-core Mac Minis or iMacs. :mad:

The only difference is that we have a million things to do with imacs and minis and nothing to do with a quad core cell phone.

Ridiculous.

[slapppy]

Jon Rubinstein just kicked Apple arse on this one. The Palm pre, forgive its ugly hardware, OS kicks iPhones big time. More powerful cpu and the UI and functionality just blows it away. It can do all these things we've been waiting for almost two years to do, with a better UI. Patents aren't going to help Apple this time, they already got surpassed today. :eek:

[Bonte]

They could just detect the type of iPhone you have and make the App store only reflect apps that are available on your phone. It detects firmware when you tap download anyway.

Several apps will not download onto your phone until you update your firmware to a certain level. I was having backup issues, so I procrastinated on upgrading my firmware and then I realized certain apps wouldn't download.

I haven't used it yet but can't i run the apps on all iPods and iPhones on that user account? Also 5 computers as with the music DRM?

Apps would still work on some models and not on others, app-links on sites would work and some not based on the model i have registered to that computer? Its getting very confusing, the iPhone can be made a bit more responsive but not double the speed. Apple doesn't need to make a hardware leap so early, they need to get the price down to almost nothing so everybody will have either a Touch or iPhone. It is indeed a platform comparable to the Nintendo DS, better hardware needs a whole new category.

[akira2501]

Why would apple do that. If people can get a laptop in their hand, why buy a laptop. Quad core? No. But it will be more powerful than most netbooks since the price is around the same. I imagine like in 2012 or so that will happen. Till then don't bet on it.

[cdinca]

Haha, ok I'll explain.

The first iPhone was released June 29, 2007. 126 days later, it was replaced by the 3G iPhone, the date was July 11, 2008. So, the 3G iPhone has been out for 182 days and counting.

I was speculating about Apple's refresh time concerning iPhones. Check out the MacRumors buyer's guide (http://buyersguide.macrumors.com/).

What???!!! Is this a drunk post? It's ok if it is. We've all had at least one.

[patricksan]

Battery life?

That would be a big problem.

[bj3949]

All sounds great, but I just want my 32GB iPhone 3G NOW!!! Who's with me here???? End of this month ya' think???

[MrCrowbar]

That would be a big problem.

Nope, battery life would actually get better as long as you don't max out all cores. To do the same task, one core would work at full clock speed whereas 2 cores only need 50% of that clock speed.

Increaing clock speeds a little increases power cinsumption tremendously, that's one of the reasons multi-cores are standard now. You theoretically could make 6 GHz processors, but they'd just burn up. A dual 3 GHz is much more practical.

[vvebsta]

I would be happy with just DUAL core. All I want is my apps to open and close instantly. No waiting. I think a processor increase would do the trick (maybe ram too). As for battery life, the 17 inch mbp battery technology can certainly trickle down to the iphone as well. Push applications is a definite must anyways. Its been promised, deadlines have past and we're still waiting. So maybe apple is scrambling to make good on their promise by upping the processor speed and increasing battery life. You really don't need allot of motherboard space on the device its mostly taken up by the screen technology so the rest can become more battery.

I hope they call it the iP2 :D that would be hilarious.

[MacFly123]

What if iPhone software 3.0 was really intended to power the new MacTablet that's going to come out? Maybe that's the device that could really benefit from that type of optimization.

*walks away whistling as the eager kids jump on the remarks*

jW

I find it very interesting that in all of Apple's patent filings for tech that involves "mobile devices" they give the examples of: cellular phones, media players, AND Personal Digital Assistant (PDA)!!!!!!!!!!

Why would they reference that if they did not have the MacTablet in their strategy. The cell phone is obviously the iPhone, the media player is the iPods, and the PDA can only be a future MacTablet!

Am I alone? Has anyone else ever noticed that???

[aafuss1]

A multi-core processor in the next iPhone could open up new possibilities and there should be other additions in version 3.0 not just multi-core support for a new model (so 3.0 could be used on 2.x devices).

[bergmef]

3Ghz multicore iPhone G5 next Tuesday!

Wahoo!!!!!

sorry, it's been a while.

[wonderbread57]

What if iPhone software 3.0 was really intended to power the new MacTablet that's going to come out? Maybe that's the device that could really benefit from that type of optimization.

*walks away whistling as the eager kids jump on the remarks*

jW

3rd post here had it right I believe. Quad-core is likely for a mac netbook/tablet that uses the App Store and firmware 3.0 supports the new hardware likely along with the old iPhone/Touch hardware.

[Lesser Evets]

3rd post here had it right I believe. Quad-core is likely for a mac netbook/tablet that uses the App Store and firmware 3.0 supports the new hardware likely along with the old iPhone/Touch hardware.

EXPECT IT.

....in 2011.

[johnmcboston]

A multi-core processor in the next iPhone could open up new possibilities and there should be other additions in version 3.0 not just multi-core support for a new model (so 3.0 could be used on 2.x devices).

But what would it do to the battery??? You'd have to charge twice a day now rather than daily??

[overcast]

Wirelessly posted (iPhone 3G (white): Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 2_2 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/525.18.1 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/3.1.1 Mobile/5G77 Safari/525.20)

Awesome. And maybe while they're at it, they can give the next iPhone enough RAM to actually function well.

..and maybe you can get rid of the OS/Browser string, tagged to everything you post.

[liptonlover]

I have a feeling this will happen. The iphone/touch are obviously competitors in the mobile gaming market now, and this will give them a huge boost.

[iMacmatician]

ZDNet reports (http://blogs.zdnet.com/Apple/?p=2745) that the iPhone 3.0 firmware will support quad-core processors in an upcoming iPhone hardware revision. While Apple has not yet detailed iPhone 3.0 firmware, MacRumors has independently heard of this same multi-core support in the 3.0 firmware which should accompany the next iPhone.
…
The likely candidate for the new iPhone's CPU, however, is a derivative of the ARM Cortex A9 (http://www.arm.com/products/CPUs/ARMCortex-A9_MPCore.html) multi-core processor.Maybe quad-core will be for the possibly upcoming mini-tablet, not the regular iPhone (and iPod touch)?

Single-core to quad-core (where each core in the quad may be more powerful than the single-core) just seems too big a jump in one generation to me. But for a mini-tablet, it's perfectly reasonable, especially if it will end up running mobile iLife.

Maybe:

3.5", 480x320, 1-core
5.5", 720x480, 2-core
7.5", 960x640, 4-core

:D

[lord patton]

I would be happy with just DUAL core. All I want is my apps to open and close instantly. No waiting. I think a processor increase would do the trick (maybe ram too).

Amen, brother. 3g wasn't important enough to get me to upgrade, but "instant-on" responsiveness would.

[o0samotech0o]

Battery life?

One minute, highest brightness level.
Two minutes, lowest. :rolleyes:

-Sam

[ddTaylor]

We already are. Color me EXTREMELY skeptical with this rumor. Quad-core in a hand held? Come on.

No - we are NOT. It is not even CLOSE to a full-blown OS X install. It may share some components but it is not a full version or even close - of OS X.

D

[ddTaylor]

Pretty much.

As far as phones, though, I suspect the next iPhone will allow background process too. The current model COULD do it, and jailbreakers will, but Apple won't enable it in order to encourage upgrades.

I run background all the time with a jail-broken iPhone and Flycast runs well as does Mail and other smaller applications. I run only one background app and one up front (usually Mail) with no known problems. I agree with your comment that it can and is being done with no real problems I can detect.

D

[davidwarren]

..and maybe you can get rid of the OS/Browser string, tagged to everything you post.

does that always happen? I post things from my iphone and I never see that, even when I go back and look on another computer.

[mjteix]

Maybe quad-core will be for the possibly upcoming mini-tablet, not the regular iPhone (and iPod touch)?

Single-core to quad-core (where each core in the quad may be more powerful than the single-core) just seems too big a jump in one generation to me. But for a mini-tablet, it's perfectly reasonable, especially if it will end up running mobile iLife.

Maybe:

3.5", 480x320, 1-core
5.5", 720x480, 2-core
7.5", 960x640, 4-core

:D

Perfect. But not before mid 2010 (with the cortex A9 MPCore).

For those interested in the subject, ARM already has a multicore processor, the ARM11 MPCore (http://www.arm.com/products/CPUs/ARM11MPCoreMultiprocessor.html). This "older" processor is at the heart of nvidia's TEGRA (http://www.nvidia.com/page/handheld.html) platform. It's probably a too big/power hungry platform for a 3.5" iPhone/iPod touch, but could probably be used in a bigger device (7" display, bigger battery).

[Saladinos]

The latest published rumors have indicated that the tablet would be the same architecture as the iPhone, so this is not an unreasonable suggestion.

Yes, but I doubt anybody would buy a tablet that could only run iPhone applications. It has to be full OSX or nothing.

[farmboy]

What about the possibility to run Mac OS X instead of just OS X on the iPhone and iPod touch? For the ultimate wired and wireless presentation remote using NATIVE Apple Keynote and Microsoft PowerPoint files.

Always good to read Marx55 and Zunx (same guy?) re the ultraportable full OS X tablet/projector...and the thousands he's going to buy for the U. Miss it when I don't see him for a week or so.:D

[cwingrav]

The ignorance in this thread is astounding. What is a CPU? You must be joking.
:rolleyes:

I see a lot of people here confusing mobile ARM processors with desktop processors. They are quite different.

A quad core ARM processor is quite possible but your dual core laptop processor would still kick its arse any day in terms of raw processing power.

I look forward to this new iPhone revision. I should be eligible for an upgrade by the time it comes out.

Yeah, lots of people up in arms about something they are not very well equipped to evaluate apparently. Hey, not dogging the guy just asking questions though as they are interested in learning.

I think quad cores would be interesting as Apple slips into more multi-processing and power efficiency. This quad-core sounds interesting on a tablet or heck, even a phone if the cores can be readily switched on and off. In the future (next year even) we might need that power. Why not have that power if your plant can manufacture them are roughly the same cost?

Saying "never" to quad core phones is like saying "never" to horseless carriages, or maybe a better analogy, "never" to 60mph horses.

[yorkshire]

Is this the first rumour of the next iPhone? Obviously it won't be quad core, but
I'd love to hear some more info about what it'll be like. Hopefully it'll be out at WWDC or before.

[buccsmf1]

THIS is what i think theyre going to push when they release a new iphone this summer. I think it will basically have all the same specs as the 3G we have right now other than the processor and RAM. I think theyre going to push the whole mobile gaming thing and really focus on upping the specs of the phone. The phone is in desperate need of a RAM boost....

[happydude]

9to5 has a decent article talking about how multi core iphones in 2009 aren't probable:
http://9to5mac.com/arm-cortex-a9-multi-core-2010-2009

[Rot'nApple]

But wouldn't nano imply it being smaller, thus the pro being larger?

Why?

Why can't "nano" imply reduced processor power as in 3g and the new iPhone Pro can be the exact mirror of the "nano" 3G iPhone but come equipped with a bigger, more powerful processor?

I mean, the MacBook Pro 15" is smaller in size and less powerful in processor power than the 17" but we don't go around calling the 15" the MacBook Pro and the 17" the MacBook Pro'er! :eek:

[randyhudson]

I don't think CPU power consumption increases as a square of the clock speed. There is a certain minimum voltage below which the CPU will not even function, so slowing down the clock speed further when it is operating at Vmin means roughly linear power (and performance) reduction.

When you start over-clocking CPUs, and you have to increase the voltage above Vmin in order to do so, then it is true that the power consumption grows faster than the performance gains, but I don't think it is an exact science. It often depends on the imperfections in the chip, packaging, and cooling.

But, as an example, a Mobile Core 2 Duo (T9300) has a MHz range of 800*-2,500, but the voltage only increases 1.062V-->1.150V.

(*I'm guessing 800 is around the minimum clock speed, matching its FSB).

[darkblu]

I don't think CPU power consumption increases as a square of the clock speed. There is a certain minimum voltage below which the CPU will not even function, so slowing down the clock speed further when it is operating at Vmin means roughly linear power (and performance) reduction.

When you start over-clocking CPUs, and you have to increase the voltage above Vmin in order to do so, then it is true that the power consumption grows faster than the performance gains, but I don't think it is an exact science. It often depends on the imperfections in the chip, packaging, and cooling.

But, as an example, a Mobile Core 2 Duo (T9300) has a MHz range of 800*-2,500, but the voltage only increases 1.062V-->1.150V.

(*I'm guessing 800 is around the minimum clock speed, matching its FSB).
to continue from where randyhudson left it at, for a multi-core (MP) design to win versus a single core (SP) desing in the power/watt department, all it takes is:

* at full opetational configuration (in our case - all four cores on), the performance of the MP desing should approach the SP design in watts.

* from there on, the MP desin allows for powering down cores one by one, effectively achieving a linear power saving, which the SP core does not allow. IOW, if a mobile c2d clocks down as 1.150V@2500 --> 1.062V@800 (as per randyhudson's c2d example), the quad core desin would go 1.150V@2500* (equivalence of) --> 0.2875V@600 (equivalence of).

that'd be a clear win for the MP desin in the power-saving deparment. in practical terms, it'd allow an MP tablet to run much longer from battery (reduced core count down to 1), and yet be very close to the 'big iron' SP performance-wise when plugged in the wall socket, and power draw is not a concern.

* assuming quad arm cortex approach a mobile c2d in performance, and power draw, which is a gross simplification for the sake of the argument.

[holmesf]

Pretty much.

As far as phones, though, I suspect the next iPhone will allow background process too. The current model COULD do it, and jailbreakers will, but Apple won't enable it in order to encourage upgrades.

The reason for this is actually because the iPhone has only 128MB of RAM and does not support virtual memory in the sense of paging RAM contents to flash memory like a desktop pages memory to the hard disk. Since the system consumes some of this memory, that means that < 128MB is available to any given application, and since there is no paging, any application that tries to consume more than the available memory will be forced to either free up memory by the system, or will be terminated.

This is all information Apple has stated in its developer videos.

Apple thus felt that to provide the best experience for the end user (applications not causing each-other to malfunction) they should disallow background processes.

[Ochire]

Wicked. Maybe it'll give it enough power to copy and paste.. hell, maybe even forward messages while we're at it. I'm not expecting mms or emailing attachments till we're at octocore though.

[dex22]

C'mon guys. Apple's not going to release this year a complete product based around a technology they won't even get their hands on for another 6 months.

Even then, it will take 6 months for apple to design the IC, and three months more to qualify the phone as a complete, integrated system. Then they have to port the OS and qualify it. The rational timeframe for this all-singing all-dancing all-cut-n-pasting phone is June 2010.

I'm not saying they won't release a dual-core ARM11-based iPhone in the meantime...

[winterspan]

This is highly unlikely unless the iPhone v3 is way off down the road.


Here's the deal. The current ARM processor core in the iPhone, ARM11, does indeed have an optional multi-core architecture if system-on-a-chip manufacturers want to go that route, and nVidia's "Tegra" platform actually uses multiple ARM11 cores.

That said, ARM11 is old; The next generation of ARM is the Cortex series. The first version, the Cortex-A8 is literally just now coming out in smartphones (like Palm's new Pre I believe), and is what powers T.I.'s OMAP line and Qualcomm's Snapdragon. The Cortex-A8 is *NOT* multi-core capable.

The second-generation core in the "Cortex" line is the Cortex-A9 (which is an out-of-order core), which does indeed add multi-core support. But system-on-a-chip manufacturers are not even close to using the Cortex-A9 core. Although it's architecture has been completed, it's not even shipping to 3rd party chip designers. Additionally, the embedded market moves much slower than say the x86 desktop market. Even after the ARM architecture has been completed, it has to be extensively tested and verified, and then 3rd party chip designers have to integrate the cores into new system-on-a-chip models, which also have to be extensively tested and verified. Even once that is done, then the device manufacturer has to integrate that complete chip into a new end-user device. This whole chain from ARM core conception and design to an end user actually having the product takes years.

For this reason, I think it's *highly unlikely* that the next-gen iPhone would use a multi-core-capable Cortex-A9 if it is released in 2009. Its much more likely Apple uses a custom single-core system-on-a-chip based on the Cortex-A8.




C'mon guys. Apple's not going to release this year a complete product based around a technology they won't even get their hands on for another 6 months.
Even then, it will take 6 months for apple to design the IC, and three months more to qualify the phone as a complete, integrated system. Then they have to port the OS and qualify it. The rational timeframe for this all-singing all-dancing all-cut-n-pasting phone is June 2010.

I'm not saying they won't release a dual-core ARM11-based iPhone in the meantime...

I agree. I also don't think they would use a dual-core ARM11, as a single-core Cortex-A8 is so much more powerful it would be pointless, particularly at the Gigahertz+ clock speeds they've gotten them running at.

[numbersyx]

I agree that this doesn't ring true. Far too big a leap for a cell phone PDA device. No doubt that Apple have invented something which has caught the imagination but someone's imagining a little too much.

[branjosef]

I'm holding out for a quad-core G5 iphone 3G with blu-ray :rolleyes:

[mtizle]

ok, I hate to take a trip to negative town on this topic, but I feel like I need to be realistic. For any of you that own a mobile device with a core processor (being macbook, macbook pro or a pc laptop with a core processor) you know how hot they get. My Macbook's fan run's at about 6200 RPM when at full strength, which is somewhat often. Being a cell phone, there is no way that a cooling system can be built into a phone without increasing the size of the phone or killing the battery life by a ton. Sorry guys, but this just isn't happening.

[holmesf]

ok, I hate to take a trip to negative town on this topic, but I feel like I need to be realistic. For any of you that own a mobile device with a core processor (being macbook, macbook pro or a pc laptop with a core processor) you know how hot they get. My Macbook's fan run's at about 6200 RPM when at full strength, which is somewhat often. Being a cell phone, there is no way that a cooling system can be built into a phone without increasing the size of the phone or killing the battery life by a ton. Sorry guys, but this just isn't happening.

It probably won't happen ... however there is no direct relation between number of CPU cores and heat produced by the CPU, especially comparing a theoretical ARM CPU with an Intel one.

[iMacmatician]

What about the possibility to run Mac OS X instead of just OS X on the iPhone and iPod touch? For the ultimate wired and wireless presentation remote using NATIVE Apple Keynote and Microsoft PowerPoint files.Mac OS X is too hardware-intensive for an iPhone, iPod touch, or even a mini-tablet. And I think we will see mobile iWork on the mini-tablet.

What? Why? So you can have a cursor-arrow and drop-down menus on a tiny screen? How annoying!

Wouldn't it make MUCH more sense to simply write software for the iPhone that can use these files you're talking about?Of course not, because, you know, why not just fill up the 3.5" display with all the menus, toolbars, and Inspector windows that come with Keynote/PowerPoint? Don't forget that Keynote files require a cursor. Not a touchscreen, a cursor-based touchscreen.

Seriously though, if the iPhone OS was modified to support tabs, slide-out sheets (instead of Inspector window), and probably a few other things, mobile iWork is very possible, even if it was limited to a device slightly larger. I don't think some advanced effects and stuff will be in the mobile version, due to processing / app size limitations (maybe just a way to input it in the file but not to actually process/view it), but that happens on older, lower-end Macs too.

I don't think CPU power consumption increases as a square of the clock speed. There is a certain minimum voltage below which the CPU will not even function, so slowing down the clock speed further when it is operating at Vmin means roughly linear power (and performance) reduction.I think Power = (something)(clock speed)(voltage)^2.

[Jig]

It doesn't work out all neat and pretty like that. Multithread scaling is not perfectly linear by any means. If that was true, why stop at four! why not have 16 ARM11s in that bitch all running at 1/16 of the clock speed...0mgZ0rs!

I would much rather have more battery life than a moronic quad-core crippled iPhone / iPod Touch. The battery tech isn't there yet (and the new 17" MBP's battery is nothing special. It's the same lithium-polymer technology just in a different form factor and larger). I'd much rather have push or regulated background process support than a dual or quad cpu in my Touch.

LOL. I think not. I need quad-core to do copy & paste? Simply moronic.

The original poster about the power consumption growing quadratically to the clock rate was entirely right, despite the ridicule he received. Many cores in embedded systems will save power. That's the point.

Firstly, the iPhone has lots of stuff running, as anyone can see from jailbreaking, and I think quad cores would certianly help performance.

But more importantly, it would help battery life. Twice the clockrate = 4x the power. Twice the cores, 2x the power. Although it is true programs need to be written in a way to take advantage of this parallelism, this really can be done for a lot of things, like for instance mp3 decoding, h264 decoding etc. In fact it already has been done.

For an embedded product, where performance and battery life are important, there is no reason at all why this couldn't work. In fact, it's the only way forward.

You ask 'why not 8 cores, or 16 cores?' Why not indeed! This will happen, and will happen, and will reduce power consumption further. There already exist processors that have this kind of parallelism, and it will come to the embedded world. Like everything, it takes time.

[iMacmatician]

The original poster about the power consumption growing quadratically to the clock rate was entirely right, despite the ridicule he received. It's linear.

http://software.intel.com/en-us/articles/writing-code-to-reveal-the-performance-details-of-mobile-processors/
http://www.microcontroller.com/Embedded.asp?did=155

[pedmed]

Hello areyouwishing,
I was wondering if you still have your Powermac G3 333Mhz for sale?
If you still have it for sale, please contact me at: pedmed@ispmonsters.com
Pedmed


Wow, surprised I didn't see anyone comment about the Pre by Palm.

Calendar in iPhone still can't use multiple calendar sources (exchange, gmail, facebook) and it certainly can't show the concurrently.

I cannot go from 3rd party app directly to 3rd party app without making a pitstop at the home screen.

I still don't have spotlight/inquisitor for the entire phone (gotta go to safari to search the web, gotta go to contacts to search for them, and forget searching email)

I still don't have turn by turn directions.

Still no flash on the camera

still no option of a physical keyboard

I still can't read a consolidated inbox that shows ALL my inbound email (from multiple accounts)

Still can't have 2 drafts open at the same time

still don't have native unified messaging (IM, SMS, MMS) in a single thread

BUT I am getting 4 cores...AWESOME DUDE!

[pedmed]

Hi areyouwishing,
I was wondering if you still have your Beige powermac G3 with 333Mhz for sale? if so, I am interested in purchasing it.
Please email me at: pedmed@ispmonsters.com
Thanks
pedmed