ARM said it will introduce a new processor that will consumer less than 300 mW in the first quarter of 2006. The Cortex-A8 is based on the firm's existing v7 design, integrates 13 pipelines and runs at clock speeds between 600 MHz and 1 GHz. Higher-end versions will be available in 65 nm and 90 nm structures, while lower-end models will be offered as 65 nm chips only. Maximum performance is rated by the company at "more than 2000" DMIPS.
The Cortex-A8 aims at small mobile devices and consumer electronics, including phones, media players and new portable devices. According to ARM, Freescale, Matsushita, Samsung and Texas Instruments already have licensed the new technology.
