The world is barely used to having smartphones with 2GB and 3GB RAM around, but already it appears we might see a smartphone in the near future with a 4GB RAM inside. The company in the driver's seat to present this type of hardware before any other is none other than Samsung and the handset is going to be Galaxy S5.
Samsung reportedly is moving ahead to introduce its first product with LPDDR4 RAM technology. For those who unaware, "LP" stands for low-power, and this kind of technology uses 40 percent less power than its predecessor, LPDDR3. The new LPDDR4 interface will offers 50 percent better performance than the fastest LPDDR3 or DDR3 memory. Furthermore, LPDDR4 package can allow for up to 4GB of memory due to having 8G-bit on each die.
"This next-generation LPDDR4 DRAM will contribute significantly to faster growth of the global mobile DRAM market, which will soon comprise the largest share of the entire DRAM market," said Young-Hyun Jun, executive vice president, memory sales & marketing, Samsung Electronics. "We will continue introducing the most advanced mobile DRAM one step ahead of the rest of the industry so that global OEMs can launch innovative mobile devices with exceptional user convenience in the timeliest manner."
This is an interesting development, which could also mean we now have an idea of what Samsung is planning for the Galaxy S5. However, for the next flagship smartphone from the Korean giant to support LPDDR4, system-on-a-chip (SoC) partners such as ARM must first announce their support for next generation RAM technology soon. The big question is, though, will the added bandwidth be beneficial to users in any way or form? With the increased bandwidth performance, phone manufacturers could ncrease the resolution of smartphones above the standard 1080p, but this could also increase the power usage.
Not only could end-users experience smartphones with high resolution displays with LPDDR4 RAM technology inside, but the possibility of faster app responsiveness and advanced features is something that could eventually happen. Samsung promises the maximization of battery life, but we are a little bit skeptical on that thought.
Compared to the iPhone 5s, the Galaxy S5 could be a true 64-bit smartphone if Samsung incorporates 4GB of RAM inside the handset.
The year 2014 is new, and already it is shaping up to be something spectacular in the mobile space, if a true 64-bit smartphone makes it way to market within the year.
