ARM Announces Next-Generation LTE Advanced Pro and 5G-Based Mobile Baseband Standards
Prospects for adoption in high-capacity storage applications

ARM announced the new ARM Cortex-R8 processor, which supports 5G speeds, enabling semiconductor designers to double the performance of ARM-based modems and mass storage systems-on-chip (SoC).

ARM's latest real-time CPU delivers the low latency, high performance, and power efficiency required by next-generation 5G modems and high-capacity storage devices. The processor is currently available for licensing and is expected to be in silicon production by 2016.

The Cortex-R8 quad-core processor delivers a dramatic improvement in overall performance. It also combines real-time capabilities with lower-latency memory to deliver best-in-class performance.

“5G promises to dramatically increase data rates, delivering a far superior mobile experience. This is expected to revolutionize mobile communications,” said James McNiven, general manager of ARM’s CPU business group. “As the most advanced real-time CPU commercially available today, the Cortex-R8’s unparalleled performance will significantly contribute to the development of 5G modems.” “This will establish itself as a key element for communications in next-generation smartphones, tablets, connected cars, and IoT,” he said.

ARM has been recognized as the world's leading CPU architecture for cellular modems since the advent of first-generation GSM devices in the 1990s, and it is currently a central component in more than 20 billion cellular devices worldwide. The latest smartphones and connected IoT products unveiled at Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona next week will further solidify its leadership position.

“ARM architecture is the trusted standard for high-performance, real-time processing in modems,” said Daniel Diao, Deputy General Manager of Huawei’s Turing Processor Business Unit. “As a leader in cellular technology, Huawei is already developing 5G solutions and has high expectations for the breakthrough performance improvements that Cortex-R8 will deliver. This technology will be widely adopted across devices where low latency and high-performance communications are critical success factors.”

ARM's silicon partners have already begun design work. SoCs based on the Cortex-R8, designed for the mass storage market, are expected to be released within this year. Modems designed using the Cortex-R8 processor are expected to usher in the new LTE-Advanced Pro and 5G standards. Furthermore, the Cortex-R8 is compatible with existing software, shortening design cycles and enabling developers to expand their real-time product ranges based on a single CPU architecture.