Apple A9x chip discussion

[scannall]

I think this is Apple's backup plan.
But right now, the existing situation is basically perfect for them.
They are PowerVR's ONLY large customer. Which means they can simultaneously work very closely with PowerVR to design a GPU that EXACTLY meets their needs
AND
they can sell downsized/crippled versions of that same chip to the current PowerVR customers (companies like Allwinner, Rockchip, and Mediatek) which allows some offset against the initial design costs.

In some ways (with respect to costs anyway) it's an even better situation than the CPU situation --- Apple gets the advantages of a custom-design while being able to offload some of the costs in a way they can't with their CPUs (unless, of course, there is some secret program they have selling their CPUs to another unnamed company...)

Apple already owns a good size piece of them anyway. Certainly gives them better and earlier access to what's coming I'm sure.

 

[tenks]

That iPad Pro seems drool-worthy. I'd take that over a Surface Pro any day...

except it's still running iOS, you sure? BLEH

 

[jhu]

except it's still running iOS, you sure? BLEH

No kidding. The iPad Pro would be drool worthy if it was running Mac OS, or at least had an unlocked boot-loader. Until then, I'll stick with my Surface Pro 3.