Computer World dares to ask whether, despite the hype around them at CES, we actually need multicore processors on tablets and phones. The argument goes that since software hasn’t been designed for mobile multicore processors, there’s no real need for the hardware. That’s a bit chicken-and-eggy for me, because nobody’s going to create apps for hardware that doesn’t yet exist, and the hardware needs to reach a critical mass before there’s a market for the software.
But the article makes an interesting point. Windows Phone 7.5 isn’t designed for dual-core processors, and Microsoft ran a challenge at CES where it invited people to show it a phone that worked faster. $100 cash was on offer to anyone who could beat the performance of the Windows Phone-based HTC Titan in carrying out common activities like searching the web and running apps. Out of 20 challenges, Windows Phone evangelist Ben Randolph reportedly said he only lost once, to an iPhone 4S (dual core), on a tweeting challenge. Microsoft attributes its success to designing software that is optimised for usability.
It makes you wonder. Can better software design outweigh the need for multicore processors? Are the apps we use dictated by the available hardware resources, or the desires of the user? What do you think?
