Globalfoundries Partnering with ARM for 28nm Cortex A9 Manufacturing

Chip manufacturer Globalfoundries has announced that it has formed a partnership with low-power chip design firm ARM in order to manufacture ARM’s latest series of high performance system on a chip chipsets in the Cortex A9 series (used in the Palm Pre) on a new smaller 28nm manufacturing process.

ARM is claiming up to 40 percent greater processing power, 30 percent greater power efficiency, and a 100 percent improvement in battery longevity relative to the current generation of chips.

Mass production of these Cortex-A9-based units is expected to begin in the second half of the year. Globalfoundries also states that its 28nm assembly line is ready for high volume production, easing typical worries about chipset availability when manufactured on a new manufacturing process and assembly line.