After around a year and a half of rumors, Google confirmed just last week that it has been working on a custom smartphone chipset for four years. Called Tensor, the chip draws on the Mountain View giant's two decades of computing experience. It will debut on the Pixel 6 and 6 Pro this fall.
Although Google has yet to share technical specifications, the company has made it clear that its focus is on using artificial intelligence and machine learning to offer personalized experiences rather than prioritizing computing resources.
In line with the expectations set by the company, a new report from the Dutch website Galaxy Club claims that the chip will sit below the Samsung Exynos 2100 that fuels the European and Middle Eastern variants of the Galaxy S21 series.
Various reports have indicated that the Google Tensor will be manufactured by Samsung using its 5nm manufacturing process. The South Korean company was also involved in the development process.
Internal documents have shown that the chip, which is codenamed Whitechapel and known internally as the “GS101,” is connected to a platform called “Slider,” and “Slider” contains references to Samsung Exynos.
Galaxy Club reports that the Tensor is internally referred to as the Exynos 9855. The outlet backs this up by asserting that Exynos 9855's codename is Whitechapel.
This chip first popped up last year and it will allegedly slot between the Exynos 2100, which is known by the part number Exynos 9840, and the forthcoming AMD-based Exynos 2200 that's is being developed under the name Exynos 9925. The Exynos 2200 will underpin next year's Galaxy S22 range.
Google Tensor chip vs Snapdragon
Tensor will power the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro
To give us an idea of the performance, the publication says the Google Tensor will be closer to Galaxy S21's Exynos 2100 than to the Exynos 2200. The Exynos 2100 is quite similar to the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888, and this implies the Google silicon will also be no match for the forthcoming Snapdragon 898.
That might only be true initially since Google is more into AI and ML than hardware specs. Thus, it's likely that Tensor's performance will improve over time. The company has specifically promised improvements to camera and speech recognition.
We will find more later this year when the Pixel 6, which will likely be one of the best camera phones of 2021, is released.
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Anam Hamid is a computer scientist turned tech journalist who has a keen interest in the tech world, with a particular focus on smartphones and tablets. She has previously written for Android Headlines and has also been a ghostwriter for several tech and car publications. Anam is not a tech hoarder and believes in using her gadgets for as long as possible. She is concerned about smartphone addiction and its impact on future generations, but she also appreciates the convenience that phones have brought into our lives. Anam is excited about technological advancements like folding screens and under-display sensors, and she often wonders about the future of technology. She values the overall experience of a device more than its individual specs and admires companies that deliver durable, high-quality products. In her free time, Anam enjoys reading, scrolling through Reddit and Instagram, and occasionally refreshing her programming skills through tutorials.
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