IBM cancels plans on the development of future Cell processor

IBM has recently confirmed that it will benefit from the development of Cell processor, which the company plans to PowerXCell 8i model of the last of his entry into the technology to do. The specified processor is part of a joint venture between the chip maker, Sony and Toshiba, the results of which are engaged in one of the most successful games in the world consoles, PlayStation 3 and other super-computers or television.

Cell processor is unique in comparison to conventional processing units in the computer today. The processor is designed with a central unit normally linked to a number of other processing units, with flash memory, better known as Spus. Those responsible for improving the performance of the Cell processor, but has also been responsible for a number of challenges for the development of a number of developers.

The German site Heise Online, the current Cell processor, model PowerXCell 8i is where the participation of IBM in the development of the Cell will be discontinued. The company Vice President David Turek, said the source said that the previously planned 32 SPE cell model will not continue.

Lessons from the development of Cell processor is not the end, as Mr. Turek explained by characteristics of the cell will be further integrated in other processor design. Without specific reference to a future model, it stated that it intends to develop a hybrid technique that combines the power and graphics to a single chip. This is a direction that NVIDIA, and the launch of its much-awaited Fermi-based graphics cards.

It is not necessarily bad news for Sony, which still can rent an IBM Cell processor for next-generation console from the company that since it does not mean that IBM will participate in the development of the cell, outside the future PlayStation 4 console.