With Android 2.3(Gingerbread) finally hitting the public with the release of the Nexus S, we now are getting speculation on Honeycomb. So, will Google be looking to dual-core processors to make their tablet optimized version of Android(Honeycomb) shine? Someone over at Barron’s thinks so, saying that Google will use the Tegra 2 chipset from NVIDIA will be the “reference design” for Honeycomb. This has been neither denied or confirmed by Google.
NVIDIA’s Tegra 2 chips are showing awesome speed with their dual-core ARM Cortex A9 processor, and of course the great graphics we have come to know and love from NVIDIA. With improvements in power draws, speed, and graphics they have quickly out shined their single core brethren in all avenues, especially gaming. Motorola is rumored to be using them in their upcoming tablets. This will make for a very exciting release for Motorola and Honeycomb.
So does this mean Google is looking to NVIDIA as the reference design for Honeycomb? I don’t think so. I have a couple of real problems with this. I do not see Google adding a minimum hardware requirement for and Android update. They have yet to put a minimum requirement on one and the fallout from the community may not be worth it. Google has said that their updates will be optimized for tablets but not for only tablets. Then there is the fact that a lot of tablets are out now with single core processors, including the Samsung Galaxy Tab.
Now, Google IS looking to dual-core as the future of Android, with NVIDIA and Texas instruments dual-core processors hitting the scene. Tablets and phones will surely leave single core in the dust very soon but I don’t think Google will leave those of us with single choking on that dust. Regardless of what Google is doing it is shaping up to be an exciting time in Android after the new year. I can’t wait to see what all is to come over the course of the next year.