Thanks to Apple, the race for 64-bit mobile phone processors is on – and Samsung, who was already developing their own 64-bit Exynos processor for their 2014 line of products, is almost ready to go into full production. Whether or not we actually need 64-bit processing in a mobile phone at this time is being debated across the internet, and really of no relevance; after all, if Apple does it, so shall we follow. Most consumers do not even know what it means, but bigger numbers are always better, correct…well, much like dual-core, quad-core, and octa-core processors, the public has latched on to this need for 64-bit processing.
With little fanfare, Google announced back in February that Android currently supported 64-bit processing, but it wasn’t until they officially made the announcement that the new Android 4.4 KitKat would support 64-bit that anybody stood up and took notice. Google, never one to “shout out” technical specs to the public, will leave Samsung to do their usual over-the top promotion and push the merits of their 64-bit Exynos processors. Rumors also have Samsung completely skipping a whole process node altogether (20nm) and jumping straight to 14nm, which were originally schedule for 2015 by the other manufacturers.
After Apple’s announcement, Samsung wants to be sure their next generation of smartphones is also equipped with a 64-bit processor, and they want that processor to be their own Exynos design. The good news from the Korean media is that Samsung is just putting the final additions on its 64-bit CPU, dubbed the Exynos 5430, and that the chip itself is almost ready for production. There is also speculation that this new chip will find its way into the new Samsung Galaxy S5 flagship, rumored to debut early this Spring. It is also assumed that it will contain 8-cores like their other Octa-core processors, but it will be a true 8-core processor by implementing the Heterogeneous Multi-Processing Capability (HMP) functionality, as the last couple Octa-core chips were not sought after by other manufacturers.
If Samsung can successfully pull this off – a new Galaxy S5 with a 64-bit, true Octa-Core processor, a new camera with the much awaited Optical Image Stabilization (OIS), and possibly a new design – they may reestablish themselves once again as having the best flagship phone on the market. Let us know in the comments or on Google+ how you feel about the 64-bit processing craze and the upcoming Galaxy S5.