Broadcom enters the mobile super-chip race
Qualcomm and Nvidia have both set some high standards for the next generation of smarphones with their system-on-a-chip processors, and now IC manufacturer Broadcom has unveiled its own entry into the power pocket computing arena.
The BCM2763 VideoCore IV Processor promises support for not only for 1080p high definition video playback, but also on-device 1080p recording, with up to a 20-megapixel CCD and photo and image processing capable of handling a staggering 1 gigapixel.
The chip combines the functions of 2D and 3D graphics processing, image and video processing, HDMI and USB I/O driving and 128MB of LPDDR2 graphics memory.
"VideoCore IV is setting new benchmarks for performance, power consumption and affordability and is poised to drive advanced multimedia capabilities into new tiers of handsets," vice president and general manager of Broadcom's Mobile Multimedia business Mark Casey explains.
The difference with Broadcoms power-thrifty 40 nanometer chipset is it leans more toward multimedia than its competition does, which has so far aimed to satisfy the mobile computing and data crowd.
The popularity of cameras in current mobile phones suggests this is likely to be a valuable market to own, and this powerful new chip has set the bar very high for its expected 2011 release.