Tegra was launched in June 2008. The Tegra 650 can support 1080p HD output using the H.264 codec – another Apple favorite, we note – and can encode video at 720p. It supports cameras with sensors of up to 12Mp. An on-board Ultra-low Power (ULP) GeForce graphics core provides 3D graphics through the OpenGL ES 2.0 graphics API. The 650’s ARM 11 core runs at 750MHz, though Nvidia also offers a lesser part, the 600, which runs at 650MHz. ..and Apple has been real chummy with NVIDIA of late:
Apple has certainly been cozying up to Nvidia a lot of late, in particular buying in the chip maker’s GeForce 9400M integrated chipset for MacBook laptops. It’s also been claimed – though not confirmed by either Apple or Nvidia – that the next Apple TV could be based on Nvidia’s Ion platform. Ditto a revamped Mac Mini. There is one little problem. Apple’s PA Semi crew hasn’t been sitting on their laurels for the past couple years. They’ve most likely been working on a SoC with integrated Imagination chips. Unless they screw up. Then NVIDIA can swoop in we guess. Don’t bet the farm on this one however.
