Samsung hopes to take customers the extra mile with its new processor for wearable tech devices. An upgrade from the previous generation Exynos 9110, the Exynos W920 is positioned to take wearable device technologies to the next level as it’s built for performance, efficiency and LTE connectivity inside a small package. In addition, the semiconductor company announced that the processor is the first-ever to be made with a 5nm, extreme ultraviolet process node to yield the robust, efficient processing on a small scale necessary for wearables.
One of the first beneficiaries of the new processor is the recently released Samsung Galaxy Watch 4, which is marketed as a fitness and health device featuring the Samsung BioActive Sensor and the W920. Samsung’s product video for the Exynos W920 mainly features the Galaxy Watch 4.
“Wearables like smartwatches are no longer just a cool gadget to have. They’re now a growing part of our lifestyles to keep you fit, safe and alert,” said Harry Cho, vice president of System LSI marketing at Samsung Electronics. “With the Exynos W920, future wearables will be able to run applications with visually appealing user interfaces and more responsive user experiences while keeping you connected on the go with fast LTE.”
The processor contains two ARM Cortex A55 cores imbuing high performance and efficiency. An ARM Mali-G68 GPU has about 10 times better performance and 20 percent better CPU performance than the previous generation GPU. These components enable faster application launches and a better interactive 3D graphical user interface on the device’s Qht display with 960 x 540 resolution.
According to Samsung, the Exynos W920 is the smallest processor currently available on the market for wearables with its Fan-Out Panel Level Packing. In addition, the processor incorporates power management IC, LPDDR4 and an embedded multimedia card using the system-in-package embedded package-on-package configuration. The power of the Exynos W920 lies in its compact size, making it suitable for small, sleek device designs and providing room for larger batteries.
The Exynos W920 comes with an always-on display feature that makes it easier for users to get updates from their devices, such as the time, notifications and missed calls, without having to take the device out of sleep mode. This is achieved by the Exynos W920’s Cortex-M55, a dedicated low-power display processor that bypasses the main CPU to save energy.
To boost connectivity, Samsung embedded the Exynos W920 with a 4G LTE Cat.4 modem and a Global Navigation Satellite System L1, resulting in better tracking speed, greater distance and elevation for outdoor activities such as hiking and backpacking.
In a move to compete with Apple, Samsung teamed up with Google earlier this year to create a collaborative software platform specifically for wearables, such as the Galaxy Watch 4, which is the first device to use the platform.