After Apple unveiled its 64-bit A7 processor in the iPhone 5S the internet has been aflutter with talk of Samsung also releasing a 64-bit chip. While Samsung didn’t deny it, we’ve had nothing too solid until now.
READ: Samsung Galaxy S5 to get 64-bit chip and 16-megapixel camera?
Stephen Woo, Samsung's president of System LSI, said the company would be following in Apple’s footsteps on the CPU front, but nothing more has been heard since.
Now a senior ARM official has confirmed it is working with Samsung to put the finishing touches on a 64-bit Exynos processor due out in smartphones and tablets next year. Presumably this will be one of Samsung’s octa-cores making it, potentially, more powerful than Apple’s A7 CPU.
“Executives from Samsung and ARM had a meeting today. They discussed the ARM 64-bit chip, which is expected to be used in Samsung’s smartphone next year,” were the senior manager's words. An insider at the meeting also noted that 128-bit processors are being planned at ARM - but these won’t arrive for at least another two years.
What's so good about Apple's 64-bit A7 processor? That's double the number of bits that can be handled by current 32-bit chips, which means the iPhone 5S can handle more-complex applications, including high-end gaming - an area Samsung can't ignore with the booming Android gaming market.