ARM has unveiled its 64-bit architecture, giving licensees the chance to target the server market.
ARMv8 includes two main execution states, with one supporting 32-bit processing and the other supporting 64-bit.
Existing features of the ARMv7 architecture, such as virtualisation and ARM's TrustZone security, will be carried over in ARMv8.
"This will bring the advantages of energy-efficient 64-bit computing to new applications such as high-end servers and computing, as well as offering backwards compatibility and migration for existing software through a consistent architecture," the company said.
At the moment, ARM's 32-bit chip designs dominate the mobile industry, but now it's targeting the enterprise market, too. Earlier this year, Microsoft announced it was porting Windows 8 to the ARM platform, potentially paving the way for a version of Windows Server running on the architecture.
“With our increasingly connected world, the market for 32-bit processing continues to expand and evolve creating new opportunities for 32-bit ARMv7 based processors in embedded, real-time and open application platforms,” said Mike Muller, chief technology officer of ARM.
“We believe the ARMv8 architecture is ideally suited to enable the ARM partnership to continue to grow in 32-bit application spaces and bring diverse, innovative and energy-efficient solutions to 64-bit processing markets.”
ARM doesn't make chips, licensing its design to manufacturers. It said it has already handed the architecture to its partners, and is working on support for operating systems and applications.
ARM said prototypes for consumer and enterprise systems would arrive in 2014.
This article originally appeared at pcpro.co.uk
