It’s been almost three years since chip maker Freescale announced plans to launch its first 64-bit processors. A lot has changed in that time: among other things, Freescale is now owned by NXP. But work on those new chips has been continuing, and now it looks like the first NXP i.MX 8 processors are just about ready to go.
NXP has introduced a new “multisensory enablement kit,” or MEK to help developers create products based around the company’s new processors.
While Freescale chips have never been popular with smartphone or tablet makers, they are used in a number of other devices, such as eReaders, automotive products, and other connected devices.
NXP is positioning the i.MX 8 chip family as a solution for connected vehicles and industrial or medical products. So don’t expect it to show up in a lot of consumer devices anytime soon.
That said, the i.MX 8 chips should offer a big jump in performance from the company’x i.MX 6 and i.MX 7 series processors. Here are a few of the features of the new chips:
- ARM Cortex-A72 and Cortex-A53 architecture based on ARMv8, 64-bit technology
- Support for 4K video with Vivante graphics
- 28nm design
via CNX Software and NXP