Tensor - Can Google do it?

 Google’s Tensor: Hotly anticipating breakthrough

 

 

For the past few decades we have seen a few designated companies making processors for the entire tech community. Well that’s changing, that too… rapidly. Amazon started making their own chipsets for their servers named Graviton. Apple is making the M1 for their macs and iPads. Samsung is making Exynos for their Galaxy phones. And to take the next step, Google enters the frame with their new in-house processor named Tensor. This chip has raised a few eyebrows for the past few days and this is a compilation of all the information that we have gotten so far about this new silicon.

 

WHAT IS TENSOR?

So before talking about technical specifications and other deep information, let us start with solving the first question, What is Tensor?

 

Unlike the Tensor Processing unit, or the TPU which is an AI focused chip used in Google’s servers. This Tensor is a mobile focused processor, also called as a system on a chip or SOC(processing unit of a smartphone). Which they will use on their smartphones, henceforth. So simply, it is a new processor by Google.

 Source: Google

WHY IS IT SO SPECIAL?

Although all smartphones use SOC. only a few companies make their own.

 

Most of the Android phones these days, use processors from designated SOC making brands such as, Mediatek or Snapdragon. Referred as Off-the-shelf SOC’s.

 

Whereas Apple, Huawei and (in some countries) Samsung, produce their own SOC’s. Apple use their M series processors for macs and iPad pro, and A series processors for their iPhones and cheaper iPads. Huawei produces their own Kirin processors for their smartphones. Samsung uses Exynos branded processors which is made by Samsung for their Galaxy branded mobile phones. These are known as In-House SOC.

 

Conclusively,

External SOC brands are known as Off-the-shelf SOC’s

Producing their own SOC’s for their own products is known as In-House SOC’s

 

Lets get to the main topic…

 

Google’s Tensor got so much views because, till now Google has been using Qualcomm Snapdragon for their pixel phones (which is an Off-the-shelf SOC). But… for their forth-coming “Pixel” smartphones, Google will use Tensor which is Google’s own processing unit.

 

WHY IS GOOGLE CHANGING TO TENSOR

Simple answer to this Question, is… for better integrity and security. Instead of using General purpose processors from an external company, Google developed Tensor so that it would be a proprietary and perfect fit for the hardware in their devices. As Google now has control over all parts of their smartphone. Google can better manage and integrate their devices.

 

TECHNICAL INFORMATION

Even-though we do not have full list of specifications, to show, we do know that this is an ARM based chipset with a 5nano-meter architecture, which is the latest technology on making processors. This will feature 8 cores. And this particular unit which is code-named white chapel, is said to be co-developed by Samsung, so it possible that this chip will follow the characteristics of Samsung’s own Exynos chip. This chip is said to be focused more on AI and ML or Machine learning. Many people are referring it as the Machine learning big brain of Google. This will open a path way to many AI powered apps. This is said to be one of the most secure processor available, this is secured by Google’s M2 chip and as Google has control over, Hardware, software, and the Firmware. Google can make their phones better integrated and much more secure.

 

WHAT DOES TENSOR MEAN TO AN AVERAGE CONSUMER?

Whatever we have seen till now matters to a tech enthusiast, or a tech savvy consumer. So the upcoming part of the article is fully focused on an average consumer’s perspective.

 

CAMERA IMPROVEMENTS

It is rumored that this chip will be focused on one of the Pixel phone’s main selling points, the camera and computational photography. Unlike professional camera systems in which the sensor and the lens is large, smartphone has a very small camera sensor, so we need AI and computational photography to combat the issue, so a better computational photography, means better picture, and this new Tensor delivers just that. So we can expect better camera performance in low light, where the image usually tends to be blurry and pixelated. It also uses some of the camera technologies from Samsung to improve it. It also provides better performance at HDR, and in places where there is so much light entering into the sensor and where the image is at risk of getting blown out. For example, bright and sunlit areas. It is also said to provide better performance at places with fast motion.  All thanks to AI!

 

BETTER VOICE INPUTS AND Natural Language Processing

In the world where everything is done by voice, especially with the help of Google assistant, AI improvement means better voice inputs, For example, now Google assistant can better understand you by distinguishing a command from a sentence to improve accuracy. So it means, more accurate Voice assistant. It also helps in other ventures of Natural Language Processing such as improved auto generated and live captions which really helps you if you are watching a video from a foreign language. It is also told that live translate is also getting improved with the introduction of Tensor.

 

MATERIAL YOU AND ANDROID 12

If you have seen the Google’s keynote event ‘The Google I/O 2021’ they have mentioned a lot of AI oriented improvements in the Android 12. This includes the smart customization, also called as Material you, ad their new interactive AI friend called as LaMDA. So these tasks will be better handled by Tensor.

 

LESS CLOUD COMPUTING

This also means that smartphones with Tensor chip can rely less on cloud AI operation. This also frees up bandwidth, and increases efficiency. So as a result AI powered apps doesn’t need to rely so much on the cloud as it was before, this also increases privacy, and also increases speed.

 

WHEN CAN YOU EXPECT THE LAUNCH

Tensor is said to be first introduced in the next Pixel smartphone The Pixel 6 and the pro. Which is said to be launched on Q3 or Q4 of 2021 in the fall season. As per the report, selected countries will be getting hands-on with this Pixel phones, initially. Namely,

 

ü USA

ü Canada

ü UK

ü France

ü Germany

ü Australia

ü Japan

ü Taiwan

 

Are you in these selected countries? If so you are lucky!, but even if you are not like me, don’t worry, they stated that a wider rollout will occur across all the major countries within a few months after the initial launch. Google at the time of writing the article did not mention a proper launch date and if we get one I will update the article.

 

OTHER DEVICES TO USE TENSOR

Following the Pixel lineup their chrome books and Pixel slate are the next set of devices which are getting this Tensor transition. By the way, Google has only stated the emergence of tensor in their top end phones and devices, there is no information on whether this will be available to mid range and lower end devices because with the newly launched Pixel 5A which still had Snapdragon processor in them. I am sure that they will do it eventually, so don’t worry.

 

 

How was it, did any one of the feature amaze you? Comment down all your thoughts and I will reply to all of them. As a tech enthusiast I would love seeing all these cool new features of Tensor. As it is Google who is developing it, I think this will be a very anticipated launch event.

 

This article was one of the time consuming articles, collecting information took ages to complete it, so an encouragement in the form of following my website and commenting down below would be very awesome of you, it means a lot to me, so as always Thanks for whoever came till the end. This is Tech passion and I am your tech enthusiast, till then this is Raghunath Balaji signing off