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Apple iPad has a single core ARM Cortex A8 processor [Yet another reason to wait for v2]

Categories: Apple, iPad
By: , IntoMobile
Monday, March 1st, 2010 at 9:05 AM

Image via C|Net

When the iPad was announced, geeks like me were absolutely fixated on this new Apple A4 processor. Was it built by P.A. Semi? Is it an ARM Cortex A8, A9, single or dual core? Who makes the GPU? Which fab makes it? Is it made on a 45 nm process? All these are questions have answers that very few people actually care about, or need to know. The magic of the iPad, and any piece of hardware really, is the software.

But it still doesn’t stop our curious minds tho, and Jon Stokes, one of my idols, read his book about processor architectures, asked a few of his friends what was really going on inside the iPad and the answer he got may jut shock you. It’s a single core ARM Cortex A8.

NVIDIA is pounding their chest about their dual core ARM Cortex A9 Tegra processor, due to hit the market in tablets available this holiday season. Samsung recently confirmed that they’re making a 1.5 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon based netbook, and I’d put my money down on it being dual core as well. So where does that leave Apple? They’re coming out with a product this month that’s literally nothing more than an overclocked iPhone 3GS with a larger screen. Combine that fact with the highly likely scenario that the next iPad will come with a front facing video camera, and you’ve got to ask yourself: do you really want a first generation product that will be remarkably outclassed by its successor due out in less than a year?

About The Author

Stefan Constantinescu

Stefan Constantinescu (@WhatTheBit on Twitter) has loved technology since as far back as he can remember. It started with computers, but in the past few years his passion has turned to mobile devices. As a mobile phone enthusiast who lives and breathes devices that connect to the internet, he knows he is not alone with this radical fascination of all things wireless. He is strongly opinionated and enjoys a good debate so leave comments in his posts and he’ll get back to you! Stefan began blogging as a hobby in the fall of 2006 and joined IntoMobile in the summer of 2007. Later he got a job at Nokia in March 2008, but as of June 2009 he has rejoined the IntoMobile team. He is currently based out of Helsinki, Finland.

  • Elmer

    Well if what you commented on was based on fact the answer would be yes but since your comment is based purely on speculation I predict there will be lines around the block regardless of your FUD.

  • Dan, Washington, DC

    Eh. Who cares? This is a consumer product: they don’t care whether their PC has multiple cores/processors. Frankly, I assume that V2 will be better (just like most products) but I am still going to buy one because even V1 will be a decent consumer-level portable web browser that plays games, reads books, and shows video. I’m sure I can find a role for that in my house.

  • Josh

    Having a multi core chip is no good if you can take advantage of it properly in the software. Making a platform SMP ready is not a simple thing (and there are degrees of implementation too)…

  • Stefan Constantinescu

    Oh of course, but even a single core A9 would have brought about a much better performance improvement than sticking to the A8.

  • Craig

    thing is, you don’t know for sure if thats what it is. I like how when something spreads across the internet people treat it as fact and then either praise it or bash it. Its a GUESS. They have their reasons why they think it is but it may or may not be true. Don’t go posting around this type of information like a fact.

  • Devin Rockwell

    Im pretty sure it is called the A4 (at least that is what apple calls it). I think that this product would have been more expensive if they added an AA, and people are already whining about the price (even though the average Tablet PC is at least $1000.00). Im not sure that the A9 is needed, because it seems to run whatever you through at it as smooth as butter.

  • Jordan

    If your under 30-40 I have no idea why you would get an iPad. Old ppl technology, what can you really do with it? Surf the web? Only touchscreen tablets are a big waste of money IMO.