Kaitlyn Cimino / Android Authority
TL;DR
- Google plans to launch a customized Tensor chip for Pixel Watches in 2026 alongside the Pixel Watch 5.
- The “NPT” chip will use older CPU cores, following a development in wearable chips prioritizing effectivity over cutting-edge efficiency.
- Particulars like the method node and modem are nonetheless unclear, however the chip is anticipated to boost good options.
Google’s Pixel Watch sequence had a little bit of a tough begin. Having launched a yr later than initially deliberate, the first-generation smartwatch had a closely outdated Exynos SoC, which was gradual and power-hungry in comparison with its competitors on the time. Luckily, that was rapidly amended by switching to Qualcomm’s Snapdragon W5 Gen 1 platform in Pixel Watch 2. Since then, Google launched one other watch — the Pixel Watch 3 — utilizing precisely the identical chip. With no new platform from Qualcomm in sight, this begs a query — what’s Google’s plan for the longer term Pixel watches?
Thanks to an enormous leak from Google’s gChips division, Android Authority has seen paperwork that describe Google’s plans for a future wearable Tensor chip to be launched in 2026, alongside the Pixel Watch 5.
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Constructing the way forward for Pixel wearables
Kaitlyn Cimino / Android Authority
Google’s silicon roadmap we seen, sadly, solely accommodates very fundamental data, however we will nonetheless deduce so much from it. The chip is code-named “NPT,” which we assume stands for “Newport Seaside,” to slot in with the theme of seashores in California (for instance Tensor G5 is “LGA” – Laguna Seaside). The supposed launch date is 2026, alongside the Tensor G6, however because the doc was dated early 2023, which may nonetheless change.
The one different element we’re explicitly given is the core configuration — 1x Arm Cortex-A78 + 2x Arm Cortex-A55. A observe additionally says Google is assessing RISC-V as a possible various, though with the current removing of help from the Android kernel that possibility appears much less possible.
The selection of CPU cores right here might sound odd — they’re each historical, with the Cortex-A55 courting again so far as 2017! This, nonetheless, appears to be the best way to go in wearables as each Samsung and Qualcomm (the one two remaining Android wearable SoC producers) appear to go the identical route of utilizing older cores on trendy course of nodes (for instance, Qualcomm’s current Snapdragon W5 Gen 1 makes use of Cortex-A53 cores, courting again to 2012, on a comparatively contemporary 4 nm node). Talking of which, the configuration of NPT is much like Samsung’s current Exynos W1000, which has 1x Cortex-A78 and 4x Arm Cortex-A55.
Pixel Watch Tensor chip: What we don’t know
One vital factor we don’t know for positive is the method node expertise used, however given the chip’s context, we will make a prediction. Since wearable chips require excessive effectivity, and Google’s Tensor G6, which might be launched alongside NPT, is constructed on a 3 nm course of node, it’s possible this chip will, too.
One other unknown is the modem. Smartwatch chips sometimes include on-die modems to scale back energy utilization, however Google, to our data, doesn’t at present have a modem to combine, which leaves an attention-grabbing query of what it’ll do.
One factor we all know for positive, although, is that Google will use this new chip to make its watches even smarter. Generic wearable SoCs don’t sometimes have a ton of processing energy, which makes them manner much less versatile, however Google can add as a lot application-specific {hardware} because it needs. It is going to be attention-grabbing to see what new experiences might be made doable with this chip.
