If there’s one nifty thing about iOS beta releases to the development community, it’s that they do a great job of highlighting what may be around the corner.
Per MacRumors, the recently-released iOS 4.3 beta shows calls for the OpenCL-capable PowerVR SGX543 from Imagination Technologies.
Apple has been using Imagination Technologies’ older PowerVR SGX535 GPU since the iPhone 3GS, eventually including the GPU on the custom Apple A4 System on a Chip (SoC).
Apple currently holds a 9.5% stake in Imagination Technologies and has been using the company’s chips in some of its iOS-based devices.
According to the report, the upcoming version of iOS contains a driver bundle for the next-generation SGX543.
The SGX543 can push 35 million polygons per second at 200 Mhz and 1 billion pixels per second and is capable of handling Apple’s OpenCL standard. The GPU also supports multi-core configurations.
On Friday, Apple Daily reported that the iPhone 5 could sport a new Apple-developed processor, reportedly called the A8, and a Qualcomm baseband.
Stay tuned for additional details as they become available and if something’s on your mind, please let us know.