Google's empire is getting even bigger. Now it's planning to compete with Apple by making its own Android chips.
The Daily Mail reports that Google is pushing the boundaries of tech even further by creating android chips that can do "virtual and augmented reality." According to a report in The Information, Google is doing this to free up the limitations of the current hardware so that Google can introduce new technology at a faster speed.
Creating phones with robust sensors and dishing out "augmented reality" requires more than just a software update. It needs overhauling or coming up with an entirely new chip that can perform the processing power that Google is envisioning for its devices.
The report also says that the other reason behind Google's move is to both emulate Apple's success, thereby directly competing with it.
To put it in proper perspective, since Apple came up with the A9 chip, experts have noted a more streamlined performance in all its devices. Apple has already full control of its processor designs. The A9 chips are already in the iPhone 6S and 6S Plus, and these chips are being credited for boosting CPU and graphics performance for the phone.
Google wants to duplicate this effort for Android, and in the process, will be able to standardize Android hardware, the report says. Another result of this endeavor is that updates will be released more quickly. When it does this, Google will make Android more competitive with the iOS ecosystem. Apple has been eating up market share since 2014 while Android has been experiencing a slight decline.
To hasten this aim of achieving a bigger edge over Apple, Google has recently hired a senior product executive from Qualcomm and engineers from PA Semi (a chip firm acquired by Apple) to work on the project.
Meanwhile, Forbes maintains that it is not clear which chip manufacturers Google is talking to, but one can easily choose from Qualcomm, MediaTek and Samsung - which are are the biggest vendors for Android phones.
Forbes report mentions that it is unlikely Qualcomm would cede control over design given that it is currently struggling with decreased demand for its chips and problems with pricing on the IP licensing business. It would be more probable for a smaller chip maker to get a deal with Google, and thereby increase its own business with other manufacturers.
