We have already met the new members of the Google Pixel family: The Pixel 9, Pixel 9 Pro, and Pixel 9 Pro XL make up the ninth generation with many new features in the software field such as Pixel Screenshots. Gemini has been shown as one of the claims of the new phones from the Mountain View firm, including its version on-device Gemini Nano.
To do this, Google has needed to develop a chip that, while not notable for its raw power, does so in other areas where it is proving to be solvent. In fact, as we read in Financial Express, the American firm itself has given details about its manufacturing process.
A Tensor G4 focused on what really matters to Google
The aforementioned media collects the exclusive about the chip that the new Pixel 9 integrates. According to the words of Soniya Jobanputra, member of the Pixel product team, the Tensor G4 was manufactured with a Focus on the efficiency of real casesinstead of giving importance to the power of its cores or GPU.
He also dismisses benchmarks: “When we’re designing the chip, we’re not designing it for speeds and feats. We’re not designing it to beat some specific benchmark that’s out there. We’re designing it to meet our use cases.”
Neither benchmarks nor raw power: Google was looking for an efficient processor loaded with AI superpowers
What does Google mean by these “use cases”? Mainly the user experience derived from small details such as the speed of opening applicationsFurthermore, Jobanputra comments that they had problems with the launch of apps, and from that moment on, they decided to focus purely on the practical experience.
Despite the details such as the manufacturing node, the truth is that the Tensor G4 diverges from other processors due to its clear tendency towards AI. This is where the demonstration of Gemini Nanowhich does not rely on servers on the network: this model gives the Pixel 9 the ability to process text, images, and audio.
The increase in RAM is also due to artificial intelligence: not in vain, a few months ago Google left out the Pixel 8, although it later rectified. This time, the Pixel 9 will not have to go through that ordeal, since they start from 12 GB of RAM.
“We took the same approach for our TPU[Tensor Processing Unit]. We worked with the DeepMind team to look at the long-term forecast of where the models are going and what kind of models we want to run on the device. How big is it? How big is it? How fast do we need to process it? What other elements of the chip are going to prevent it from running faster, like memory bandwidth, really comes into play when we’re designing for these use cases that these Gemini device models are using. So we take all of that into account when we’re building and designing our chips,” Jobanputra said.
Respect for partners and the future of their chips
As Google battles in the high-end with its phones, it must keep its distance from such important partners as Samsung. To do this, it is committed to ensuring that the best of its technology is available Available for all Android users“You can see that from the outside. It’s a difficult balance, for sure. But I think our priority as we move forward, first and foremost, is Android.”
That’s why we’ve seen AI features like ‘Surround to Search’ or Gemini itself on other Android devices. In fact, the first feature mentioned, which allows us to use our finger to analyze the screen, debuted on the Korean manufacturer’s Galaxy S24 family.
Despite the advances of the Tensor G4 in the aspects we have reviewed, Google looks to the future and more specifically to the next iterations of its chips. The company employee did not share specific details about future developments, but did highlight the importance of a continuous cycle of improvement: “We don’t have any forward-looking information that we’re sharing, but we think it’s very important that we’re building the right chip for the experiences we’re trying to launch each year.”
Luckily, and thanks to authoritative voices in the sector, we recently learned that the Pixel 10 will be the turning point. According to what was reported in media such as Business Korea, Samsung will stop manufacturing Google’s semiconductors, and these will pass into the hands of the well-known company. TSMCThe search engine company wants a more efficient, advanced processor that also generates less heat.
Via | Financial Express