> RISC-V caught up, key functionality wise, with the set of extensions ratified in December 2021.
Having an ISA with functionality parity is the table stakes. But having designs actually capable of outperforming the current generation of ARM cores will be a real challenge.
Can SoC vendors design their next generation with RISC-V application cores? Sure, but no one will want it if it's slower or results in lower battery life. So far they've mostly only dipped their toes in the water with RISC-V microcontrollers. Google's explicit desire for a tier-1 RISC-V Android probably will help break a stalemate and get SoC vendors to ship something. It will very likely not debut as a flagship. But releasing a RISC-V phone that performs "adequately" would be an accomplishment that will flush out a lot of issues.
RISC-V chips so far have been significantly lower-area and higher efficiency than their closest ARM counterparts, when on the same fabrication process. This has held true for embedded microcontrollers and lower-end application processors. And RISC-V with the newly standardized extensions and Rva-22 profiles seems to have even more potential at the higher end. It obviously won't make a huge difference to battery life, but it shouldn't hurt either.
Having an ISA with functionality parity is the table stakes. But having designs actually capable of outperforming the current generation of ARM cores will be a real challenge.
Can SoC vendors design their next generation with RISC-V application cores? Sure, but no one will want it if it's slower or results in lower battery life. So far they've mostly only dipped their toes in the water with RISC-V microcontrollers. Google's explicit desire for a tier-1 RISC-V Android probably will help break a stalemate and get SoC vendors to ship something. It will very likely not debut as a flagship. But releasing a RISC-V phone that performs "adequately" would be an accomplishment that will flush out a lot of issues.