ARM commits to have console-quality games on handsets by 2012

Gaming has to be one of the biggest reasons why we’ve seen such an explosion in the sale of mobile apps. As hardware continues to push the boundaries on mobile handset, we’re getting to see more intricate and detailed games that rival those found on traditional last generation consoles. According to ARM’s Izar Romdan, console-quality mobile games will be made available by 2012. The company has launched a new web site called Mali Developer Center which aids developers to port mobile games to ARM’s range of Mali-based GPUs.  Currently there are two boards that utilize Mali technology – the ST Ericsson STE MOP500 is being used as a reference platform for Symbian and also proposed for Android and Linux handsets. Also worth noting is the unclear probability if Apple would be drawn to having Mali GPUs in their handsets – especially when you consider the smartphone is already littered with top notch quality games. Additionally ARM is also providing OpenGL ES 1.1 and 2.0 emulators for developers who don’t have access to the boards physically. There are also many factors to consider in attempting to achieve console-level graphics on mobile phones – such as the impact it will make to other dedicated portable gaming consoles. Who knows what might happen in 2012 – maybe the gaming landscape will look much different than what it is now.

via Mobile Entertainment