Marvell Quad-Core Processor Designed for Smartphones, Tablets

The PXA1088 platform, which supports the latest Google Android operating system, is aimed at manufacturers of smartphones and tablets.

Chip maker Marvell announced the PXA1088, an integrated quad-core application and communications mobile system-on-a-chip (SoC) that provides low-power mobile computing and support for global broadband standards to allow worldwide roaming.

The platform includes support for 3G cellular modems including Evolved High Speed Packet Access (HSPA+), Time Division Evolved High Speed Packet Access (TD-HSPA+) and Enhanced Data for GSM Environment (EDGE). The PXA1088 solution incorporates the performance of a quad-core ARM Cortex-A7 with Marvell's Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (WCDMA) and Time Division Synchronous Code Division Multiple Access (TD-SCDMA) modem technology for powering smartphones and tablets.

Marvell executives said the PXA1088 platform, which supports the latest Google Android operating system, is sampling with global customers. Company officials expect products based on this platform to be commercially available in 2013. The platform is also backward pin-to-pin-compatible with its dual-core single-chip Unified 3G Platform, the PXA988/PXA986, enabling device partners to upgrade their next-generation mobile devices to quad-core without additional design cost.

Technical features include support for advanced WCDMA Release 7, TD-SCDMA HSPA+ Release 8 and class 12 EDGE as well as a 3G protocol stack certified on all major carrier networks and validated via extensive IOT, GCF and field trial testing. Other capabilities include support for full-feature operating systems and industry-standard development tools.

The technology also sports multi-radio platform capabilities with WLAN/Bluetooth solutions, integrated power management and audio codec IC. The new platform incorporates a graphics engine for OpenGL ES 2.0 and 1.1, as well as OpenVG 1.1; a hardware 1080p decoder and 1080p encoder; and a 12mm by 12mm JEDEC standard package-on-package stacked memory option or discrete package option.

"Marvell is proud to deliver our single-chip quad-core world-mode mobile platform. [We] bring our unified platform from dual-core to quad-core to the smart device marketplace with multi-mode capabilities and automatic roaming on 3G networks around the world. We're very excited that global OEM/ODM partners have embraced and committed to this platform," Marvell co-founder Weili Dai said in a statement. "I believe our industry-leading single-chip platform will drive mass market adoption of high-quality, high-performance, very affordable smartphone and tablet solutions worldwide to enrich people's connected lifestyle."

Earlier this month, communication semiconductor solutions specialist Broadcom announced the release of the BCM21892, a multi-mode, multi-band modem designed for the 4G Long Term Evolution (LTE) market. The BCM21892—which Broadcom officials claim is the smallest of its kind—combines a cellular baseband with a world-band radio in a footprint that is approximately 35 percent smaller than current industry solutions. The device is compliant with all 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) specifications, which encompass radio, core network and service architecture.