ARM architecture based processor is monopolizing smartphone market and is on way trying to penetrate into much CPU intensive netbook market. While it may have drawback of Windows Operating System compatibility but with the popularity of Linux flavors Operating Systems such as Android or Moblin, it does have advantages in terms of pricing and thermally efficient performance per watt gain with ability to integrate more features into processor core for slimmer and smaller form factor end product design. A recent roadmap from Samsung Electronics has disclosed a series of next generation ARM based processors targeted for netbook market, with the long anticipated Quad core Cortex-A9 expected to be due by 2012/2013.



The roadmap starts off with S5PV210 (codenamed as Taurus) a Cortex-A8 running at 1GHz and which will be mass produced by Q3 of this year. If you are curious on when will be the next architecture refresh for its Cortex-A9, the roadmap has an answer for you. Cortex-A9 architecture will be initiated by Orion (800MHz) due by first quarter of 2011, followed by single core Pegasus (1GHz) on Q4 of 2011 and a dual-core Hercules (1GHz) on a quarter later, which is Q1 of 2012. That is not end of it, Samsung is targeting to have a quad-core Cortex-A9, codenamed as Aquila core by end of 2012 or early of 2013.

Obviously, Samsung Electronics (or ARM in general) is having a very aggressive roadmap with every new follow-on product in less than six months time to try penetrate into netbook segment which is currently monopolized by Intel Atom based designs. However, not much information related to its graphics core technology whether it will still license from Imagination Technologies or will be adopting new ARM’s Mali graphics core architecture which is crucial for its success besides those clock frequencies and number of cores as a single SoC (System-on chip) design requirement in netbook segment.