Google may already be working on its second-gen Tensor chipset

"GS201" could be Google's next-gen Tensor chipset.

What you need to know

• Google has apparently started working on its second-gen Tensor chipset.
• The chipset is said to be codenamed "Cloudripper" and could be used in the Pixel 7 series phones.
• No hardware details have been revealed yet, so we'll have to wait longer to find out if the chip will be a massive upgrade over the first-gen Tensor.

A new report from 9to5Google suggests Google is planning to use a second-generation Tensor chipset to power the Pixel 7 series phones. The publication's APK Insight Team found references to a new "Cloudripper" codename while researching apps included in the latest Pixel 6 series phones.

The report claims Cloudripper is tied to a second-generation Google Tensor chipset with the model number GS201. Google's first-gen Tensor chip, which powers Google's best Android phones, carries the model number GS101. The same GS201 model number has also been spotted by tipster Mishaal Rahman in recently submitted Android code changes.

The next-gen Google Tensor chip, GS201, is in the works (because of course, what'd you expect?): https://t.co/oZtKc9E30R

— Mishaal Rahman (@MishaalRahman) October 28, 2021

The fact that references to "Cloudripper" are included in Pixel 6 apps already seems to suggest Google plans to continue using custom chips in Pixel phones going forward. However, no other details regarding the chipset have been revealed so far. That said, we expect the second-generation Tensor to offer faster performance and even more impressive AI capabilities.

Google's first-gen Tensor chipset is built on a 5nm process, just like Qualcomm's Snapdragon 888 and Samsung's Exynos 2100. It uses a tri-cluster configuration with two Arm Cortex-X1 cores, two Cortex-A76 cores, and four Cortex-A55 cores.

The chipset also has a Mali-G78MP20 GPU, which allows it to deliver a better gaming experience than the Exynos 2100. What sets it apart from other flagship mobile SoCs, however, is its AI performance. Google built the chip around the AI and machine learning work it has been doing with Google Research

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