The beta code of iOS 5.1 has revealed an interesting possibility – quad-core processor support. It follows, that we could expect iPhones and iPads with quad-core processors soon enough.
The updated processing-core management software of the iOS 5.1 beta reveals an option of “/cores/core.3,” where core.0 means single-core, core.1 means dual-core, and core.3 would mean quad-core. According to previous rumours, a quad-core Apple A6 chip is already in the works, and following the pattern of single-core A4 in 2010, and dual-core A5 in 2011, it follows that a quad-core A6 should arrive in 2012.
The news has left a lot of people excited, imagining uses for the new processing power, such as an iPad 3 with a Retina Display, and resource-heavy software such as Final Cut Pro working with iOS. We’ll have to wait and see for confirmation, with the fruity giant tight-lipped as usual about its future devices.
Source: 9 to 5 Mac