Aside from launching two new iPhone 6 versions and the Apple Watch, mobile giant Apple also introduced a new and improved application processor -- the A8 chip.
Tech nerds will be delighted to know that the A8 chip is a 64-bit processor that comes with 2 billion transistors. That is easily twice the number of transistors present in the previous version, the A7 chip.
Furthermore, the A8 chip utilizes a 20-nanometer process, which means that it has more lines between its transistors, facilitating faster processing speed. As a matter of fact, this new processor is claimed by Apple to achieve 25 percent faster computing speed, and 50 percent better performance in displaying graphics. As demoed through game play during the Apple event, the performance was almost at par those experienced in game consoles.
And because the chip has a smaller process node, it is far more energy-efficient. When you have a smartphone with large displays (like the new iPhone 6 Plus, which boasts a 5.5-inch 1080p display ), having an A8 processor definitely makes a difference because it does not take too much out of your battery.
Apple also took the opportunity to introduce the latest version of its motion-sensor co-processor, the M8. This chip can measure distance and track elevation, as well as possess a barometer sensor. The M8's job is take some of the computing load off of the CPU, especially the data from accelerometers and gyroscopes. Technical jargon aside, what does this mean for the user? Well, it means that because of the M8 chip, the iPhone will be able to measure your activity level without switching on the CPU, which would use up some of the battery power.
The use of co-processors have really caught on in recent years. Apple of course has had a major hand in jumpstarting this trend, especially when they launched the M7 chip for the iPhone 5S.
Apart from the techies, the release of the new A8 and M7 chip may not turn many heads, especially from regular smartphone users. After all, you can not really blame them for paying most of their attention to the event's more high-profile launches -- the iPhone 6, the iPhone 6 Plus, and the Apple Watch. But at least, the A8 and M7 get a highlight, even for just a moment. And perhaps herein lies Apple's genius -- making breakthroughs look easy.
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