Google Is Reportedly Readying Its Own Pixel Processor

Google wants to be the master of its own smartphone destiny. The search engine turned smartphone purveyor is creating a processor for its Pixel phone, Axios reports.

Whitechapel is the codename, aligning hardware and software is the game. Google's chip is based on ARM blueprints and will be manufactured using Samsung tech.

• Google received prototypes of the chip in the past few weeks.
• The hardware reportedly won't be ready for Pixel phones until next year.

Google is weaving ambient computing—always-on AI background services—into its product lineup. With a bespoke Pixel chip, Google's configuring hardware specifically for use in its voice assistant, object recognition, and machine learning applications.

👀 Google is taking a page from Apple's playbook. As part of its mission to control the underlying tech in its products, Apple creates its own processors for the iPhone, AirPods, and Apple Watch.

Zoom out: Google developing its own Pixel processors is a loss for Qualcomm, which makes the processors powering most high-end non-iPhones.