ARM Cortex-A32 Launched for Wearables and IoT Devices at MWC 2016

After announcing the Cortex-A35 processor IP a few months ago, ARM Hodings Plc has this time launched the new Cortex-A32 ultra-low power/high efficiency processor IP. The processor is designed for wearables, Internet of Things devices, embedded systems, and low-cost mini PCs such as the Raspberry Pi and Pi Zero.

The ARM Cortex-A32 is a 32-bit processor and uses the ARMv8 instruction set. It is said to be a replacement of the older Cortex-A7 and Cortex-A5 architectures, which use ARMv7. The Cortex-A32 is also the company's first to feature the ARMv8 instruction set without the support for 64-bit. Those OEMs that want 64-bit chips with similar efficiency are being guided to the Cortex-A35 processor IP.

The new processor according to the company is around 25 percent more efficient than the Cortex-A7 architecture. While a single-core 100MHz version of the Cortex-A32 can consume as low as 4mW power, its quad-core design at 1GHz can consume less than 75mW per core, which makes it around 300mW in total.

In related news, MediaTek has launched two new SoC models namely the Helio P20 and the MT2511 at the ongoing MWC 2016 trade show. While the Helio P20 comes as a successor to the existing Helio P10 model for mid-range smartphones, the MT2511 is the company's first bio-sensing analogue front-end chip made for wearable devices.

The MediaTek Helio P20, much like its predecessor the Helio P10, is aimed at the mid-range smartphone and tablet lineups. It comes equipped with ARM's latest Mali-T880 GPU, and eight Cortex-A53 cores which have been clocked at 2.3GHz.

As for the MT2511, the processor is said to be "extremely" power efficient, and provides a lower active mode power consumption of less than 0.6mA when capturing PPG.