Google may be working on its own processors for Pixels and Chromebooks

Google may soon add itself to the list of companies developing its own processors for its devices. According to a new report, the search giant is working on chips that could go into future versions of Pixel phones and Chromebooks. 

According to Axios, Google has made “significant progress” and could have its own processor powering a Pixel phone “as soon as next year” with Chromebooks running on the chip potentially coming later on.

Codenamed “Whitechapel,” the outlet reports that the chip was created in partnership with Samsung and uses a 5-nanometer process. Samsung already produces its own chips, called Exynos, that are in some international versions of its Galaxy phones (US Samsung phones often use Qualcomm processors) and has also helped Apple produce its A-series processors found in iPhones.

Google declined to comment.

It is unclear exactly what benefits the Google processor might have, but Axios reports that in addition to being an eight-core chip it will also have “hardware optimized for Google’s machine-learning technology” and contain improvements for Google Assistant. 

Earlier Pixels have included special chips such as the Pixel Visual Core to help with photography, with last year’s Pixel 4 boasting an upgraded chip called the Pixel Neural Core that was designed to boost its machine learning as well as photo capabilities. All earlier Pixel phones are powered by Qualcomm processors.

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