Forget the Google Pixel 5: The Pixel 6's secret weapon just leaked

Forget the Google Pixel 5: The Pixel half dozen's secret weapon just leaked

The Google Pixel 4. (Image credit: Tom's Guide)

The Google Pixel vi might be Google'south first smartphone to launch with custom hardware, bringing its smartphones in line with Apple'due south iPhones.

A written report past Axios (via Android Fundamental) claims that Google has entered a partnership with Samsung to design a custom chipset, codenamed "Whitechapel." Axios' source claims that the first prototypes of these chips accept been delivered to Google in the by few weeks, only the concluding production will appear on Pixel phones past 2021. The new processors are also expected to get in on the Pixelbook series of laptops at some indicate after that.

Google Pixel v release date, specs, price and rumors
Check out our OnePlus 8 Pro review
Only In: iPhone 12 Pro Max design revealed in new video

Google already uses some custom hardware in its phones, namely the Pixel Visual Core that debuted on the Google Pixel 2 for photo processing and the Neural Core that get-go appeared on the Google Pixel 4 to raise machine learning.

Samsung has experience making CPUs already, cheers to its Exynos line of chips that announced in its Galaxy S20 and Galaxy Notation x handsets (plus many of their predecessors) sold exterior of the Usa. Samsung is also responsible, forth with TSMC, for edifice some of the A-series processors for Apple's mobile devices, most recently the A9 used in the iPhone 6S.

Axios claims that the Whitechapel chip will exist built on a 5nm process. This volition be the aforementioned size as the successor to Qualcomm's 7nm Snapdragon 865 CPU, and so in theory it'll pack a similar amount of power into a similarly sized piece of silicon. The custom Google chip will have 8 ARM cores (the same number and same architecture as the 865), merely will be optimized for "always-on" usage, to benefit the features enabled by Google Assistant.

And then why is this troubling news for Apple and the iPhone? Apple is currently the merely smartphone maker that has control over both its software and its hardware designs. The but Android phones that don't apply a CPU designed by Qualcomm or MediaTek are Samsung and Huawei, which makes its own Kirin line of fries through HiSilicon. Simply both Samsung and Huawei even so employ Android, not having yet tried to launch a proprietary rival to Google'southward open up source operating system.

If Google is able to successfully make its ain CPU, information technology could allow for the same seamless integration of hardware and software that Apple currently enjoys with its A-series CPUs and iOS/iPad OS software. However, it could be a long year for Google until the Pixel 6'southward release, particularly since the iPhone 12 is rumored to have some revolutionary changes like the addition of 5G, 120Hz displays and a wider diversity of handset sizes.

Nosotros also oasis't heard much about this twelvemonth's rumored Google Pixel five yet. Nosotros're expecting it to run on Android 10, and to inherit the 90Hz display from the Pixel 4. Information technology'll hopefully get 5G compatibility and an ultrawide camera to join the master and telephoto sensors already present on the Pixel 4. Still, some rumors suggest it'll use a Snapdragon 765 CPU instead of an 865, pointing towards a possible focus on affordable pricing over raw power that could undercut the likes of Samsung, Apple and even the new OnePlus 8 Pro.

Richard is a Tom's Guide staff writer based in London, roofing news, reviews and how-tos for phones, gaming, sound and whatever else people need advice on. Following on from his MA in Mag Journalism at the University of Sheffield, he's besides written for WIRED U.Chiliad., The Register and Creative Bloq. When non at piece of work, he'south likely thinking about how to brew the perfect cup of specialty java.