Apple might be reportedly building its own GPU chip from here onwards, if reports are to be believed. The tech giant has seemingly had a falling out with Imagination Technologies, who was the chief supplier of the graphics chip on the iPhone.
Engadget claims that Imagination Technologies is only famous because it makes GPUs for iPhones. The company recently announced that it is terminating its partnership with Apple because the phone-maker will be reportedly working on a GPU of its own design, as opposed to the PowerVR GPUs that are so used to seeing on past iterations of the iPhone. This is perhaps why Apple took this decision, since the GPU was one of the last remaining components of the iPhone that the company could not fully control.
It has been noticed that the iPhone 7 also came with the same GPU as the iPhone 6S. Why there was no innovation on that regard has not been answered yet by the company. The GPU in question, the GT7600 is quite unique model, but considering the power that the iPhone 7 demands, it can lead to the GPU throttling in response to the rising heat temperatures. Perhaps the lack of the development of a new chip from Imagination Technologies could be one of the reasons why Apple took the route to ditch its GPU provider?
The Verge reported that Imagination Technologies apparently receives about half of its revenue directly from Apple. Apple also controls around 8 percent of the company. Although an acquisition was supposed to have been in talks between the two companies, Apple eventually decided against it. Apple has proven itself to be a formidable chip manufacturer with it1s A-series of chips, and now that it is taking over the graphics side of things, it seems like the company will face some stiff criticism from competing parties; including Imagination Technologies as well.
Imagination Technologies is calling out Apple’s bluff, saying in a statement that it would be “extremely challenging” to design a brand-new GPU from scratch without possibly infringing the intellectual rights that Imagination has over the design and architecture. There are still talks going on between both companies as Imagination Technologies is still seeking for a commercial arrangement from Apple through some means or the other, so there must be reconciliation being made behind closed doors.
After all the drama is over however, it will be a good thing to see a company like Apple truly taking on the challenge of creating its very own phone from scratch, with all of its components made proprietary.
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