Freescale launches new chips for smartphones

AUSTIN, USA: Chip maker Freescale Semiconductor on Monday strengthened its product portfolio with the launch of its i.MX 6 series of quad-, dual-and single-core applications processors.

The chip major said the new chips are designed to deliver outstanding performance and scalability, targeting the hottest selling smart mobile, automotive infotainment and embedded device categories.

Integrating one, two or four ARM Cortex-A9 cores running at up to 1.2 GHz each, the i.MX 6 series delivers up to five times the performance of Freescale’s current generation of applications processors, Freescale said in a press release.

This performance provides additional headroom for unbounded user experiences in next-generation tablets, e-readers, smartphones, automotive infotainment systems and other consumer and automotive products, the release added.

Potential applications include mobile devices featuring 3D video playback, desktop-quality gaming, augmented reality applications and content creation capabilities.

“Our i.MX 6 series offers consumers the novel and un-compromised online experiences they demand from next-generation connected consumer electronic products,” said Bernd Lienhard, vice president and general manager of Freescale’s Multimedia Applications Division.

Low power, cost efficiency, enormous processing headroom and unmatched compatibility are at the heart of the i.MX 6 series, he added.

Freescale claimed scalability across single-, dual- and quad-core products is a hallmark of the i.MX 6 series. The i.MX series offers OEMs fast time-to-value, enabling the rapid creation of complete end-product portfolios that can adjust and scale to meet evolving market demands and requirements.

The product is distinguished further by being one of the first applications processors to offer hardware support for the VP8 codec, the release added.

The product series comprises the single-core i.MX 6Solo, dual-core i.MX 6Dual and quad-core i.MX 6Quad processors.