64 bit

[bbmjack]

Will exynos note 4 get 64 bit in lollipop update ?
I've heard about that

KRASIVA

 

[Golfdriver97]

You mean the processor? No. That is a hardware thing.

From an AOSP M8

 

[MrMLK]

You should hope it doesn't, because all 64bit mode will do is slow down your phone a bit.

All 64bit does is allow your device to address more physical memory by using 64 bit addresses instead of 32 bits ones. Since the Note 4 isn't going to have more memory simply because it got an OS update, you will get no advantages and the disadvantage of your phone having to deal with larger addresses.

 

[MrMLK]

You mean the processor? No. That is a hardware thing.

Isn't the Exynos in the Note 4 a 64bit processor?

------------

I just checked, and it is. (http://www.anandtech.com/show/8537/samsungs-exynos-5433-is-an-a57a53-arm-soc)

It would still be a bad idea to enable this for the reasons stated above.

 

[SpookDroid]

While the Exynos version IS, in theory, 64-bit capable, nothing official has been said about turning the switch on. Right now it's only working on 32-bit mode and the 64-bit instructions, to the best of my knowledge, are not all there and/or optimized for that use.

Also, as far as I know, the Lollipop that's hit Exynos Note 4's in Europe DOES NOT turn on 64-bit mode (but I could be wrong on this one, I just haven't seen any 'official' confirmation of it).

 

[MrMLK]

Also, as far as I know, the Lollipop that's hit Exynos Note 4's in Europe DOES NOT turn on 64-bit mode (but I could be wrong on this one, I just haven't seen any 'official' confirmation of it).

I'm sure you are right. Until someone comes out with a phone with more the 4GB of ram, no one is going to turn on 64-bit mode.

 

[SpookDroid]

Ummm... Galaxy S6 has only 3GB of RAM and it does come out with 64-bit mode 'active'

 

[MrMLK]

Ummm... Galaxy S6 has only 3GB of RAM and it does come out with 64-bit mode 'active'

Are you sure? I just looked, and while I can find a bunch of sites that describe the chip as being 64bit compatible, I can't find any that say that Lollipop on the S6 will be running in 64 bit mode.

 

[SpookDroid]

Yup, although there's no article stating that it's running in 64bit, it's really because it's pretty obvious since this is a) Lollipop, and b) a clearly stated 64-bit chip. The Note 4's Exynos version was listed as 32-bit, not 64.
Samsung Galaxy S6 and S6 edge specs | Android Central
Samsung Galaxy Note 4 specs | Android Central

 

[MrMLK]

Yup, although there's no article stating that it's running in 64bit, it's really because it's pretty obvious since this is a) Lollipop, and b) a clearly stated 64-bit chip.

Why would Lollipop make it more likely to be running in 64bit mode? Lollipop runs perfectly fine in 32bit mode. On phones with 4GB of ram or less it actually runs better.

The processor being 64bit is a marketing advantage, not a technical one. The only way that they will run Android in 64 bit mode is if they decide that there is some marketing advantage that makes up for the small hit to their benchmarks.

We will know or sure in a month or so, but I'll be very surprised if the S6 is running in 64 bit mode.

 

[SpookDroid]

Don't be. It IS running in 64-bit mode. Just like the Nexus. Promise
Here are a couple of interesting reads:
http://www.androidcentral.com/why-64-bit-processors-really-matter-android
http://www.androidcentral.com/samsu...s-7-octa-significant-performance-improvements

 

[MrMLK]

Weeeeelllll seeeee........

By the way, I just looked, and I can't find anywhere that says the Nexus 6 is running in 64 bit mode either. It would be surprising if it was, because its got a 32bit chip in it. Or did you mean some other Nexus?

 

[etdoner]

Exynos variants are still working in 32 bit mode in lollipop (kernel arch is still armv7). So 64 bit is not usable (with lollipop 5.0.1 at least).

Posted via the Android Central App

 

[UJ95x]

Don't be. It IS running in 64-bit mode. Just like the Nexus. Promise
Here are a couple of interesting reads:
http://www.androidcentral.com/why-64-bit-processors-really-matter-android
http://www.androidcentral.com/samsu...s-7-octa-significant-performance-improvements

Which Nexus is running in 64-bit?

 

[SpookDroid]

Nexus 9
https://forums.androidcentral.com/e...phones?playredirect=true&hl=en&token=wIDYuw0H

 

[MrMLK]

Nexus 9
https://forums.androidcentral.com/e...phones?playredirect=true&hl=en&token=ZnO2M0NB

That says it is a 64bit processor, but I can't find any place that says that it is using a 64 bit version of Android.

 

[Almeuit]

I'm sure you are right. Until someone comes out with a phone with more the 4GB of ram, no one is going to turn on 64-bit mode.

Ummm... Galaxy S6 has only 3GB of RAM and it does come out with 64-bit mode 'active'

Are you sure? I just looked, and while I can find a bunch of sites that describe the chip as being 64bit compatible, I can't find any that say that Lollipop on the S6 will be running in 64 bit mode.

I almost sure it will. Even iPhone does.

 

[SpookDroid]

Ummm...again, you won't see any. Lollipop IS meant to support 64bit processors. That's the point.
This from the Android Developer Description:

Android 5.0 introduces platform support for 64-bit architectures—used by the Nexus 9's NVIDIA Tegra K1. Optimizations provide larger address space and improved performance for certain compute workloads. Apps written in the Java language run as 64-bit apps automatically—no modifications are needed. If your app uses native code, we’ve extended the NDK to support new ABIs for ARM v8, and x86-64, and MIPS-64.

Android Lollipop | Android Developers

 

[Almeuit]

That says it is a 64bit processor, but I can't find any place that says that it is using a 64 bit version of Android.

Oh also it is used in 64-bit.

Android Lollipop | Android Developers

Android 5.0 introduces platform support for 64-bit architectures—used by the Nexus 9's NVIDIA Tegra K1.

 

[natehoy]

The technical objections to actually using Android 64 bit for a non-Nexus device still stand. If it doesn't have more than 3GB of RAM and/or isn't running 100% 64-bit compiled code, the hardware thunking layer to run 32-bit instructions in a 64-bit architecture is going to be far more efficient than any software emulation layer that can run 32-bit code in 64-bit instructions.

I get why the Nexus 9 is running 64-bit - it's a Nexus, and Google needs a referential architecture in 64-bit because 64-bit really does represent the near future of smartphone evolution, and reference devices need to start getting into developer's hands NOW, even if there is no other technical reason for using 64 bits in the Android build

>3.5GB became necessary in the personal computing world years ago, and you need 64 bits to support addressing that much memory. This transition was anything but smooth and painless, and many corporations are still only offering 32-bit versions of popular desktop OSes. I have a laptop on my desk at work that has 8GB of RAM and an Intel Core i7 architecture, but only 3.5GB RAM are addressable because some of our 32-bit software *STILL* doesn't work in 64-bit glory. So I have a very sad 4.5GB of RAM that just sits there being refreshed by the hardware - billions of sad little electronic pandas that will never do anything, ever.

Smartphones are VERY FAST approaching the stage where they will need to have 4, 8, or even 16GB of RAM on board to support the workloads we are throwing at them. At least some of them.

That doesn't mean that any manufacturer of non-Nexus consumer devices has any technical reason to implement a 64-bit build of the OS unless and until they need more than 3GB of RAM on board. Benchmark and real-world performance will be slightly negatively affected. You introduce a whole raft of issues like hardware driver support, software emulation layers for 32-bit software and performance and memory addressing issues with 32 bit-optimized software even if it is compiled to 64 bits.

There WILL come a day, probably not this year, but very likely next year, when the first batch of phones come out with 4+ GB of RAM. It's important in the meantime to have some reference devices out there to start playing with 64 bit (hence Nexus 9, and probably other Nexii in the near future).

But the only reason a third party manufacturer would come out with a fully 64-bit-enabled phone with 3GB or less would be for sheer bragging rights. Which isn't to say it's not going to happen - it probably will - but there's absolutely no reason to be clamoring for it until it is needed.