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Raspberry-Pi-3

When the original Raspberry Pi launched, information technology was billed as a tiny low-price computer useful to tinkerers, enthusiasts, and as a way to teach kids the nuts of coding. Over the last four years, the platform has evolved and improved — the current version of the Raspberry Pi (the Raspberry Pi 3) is a quad-core Cortex-A53 CPU at 1.2GHz with a VideoCore 4 GPU clocked at 300-400MHz (3D clocked at 300MHz, video at 400MHz), 1GB of RAM, 802.11n wireless, and a rated power consumption of 4W. That'south not far off the specs of mid-to-depression-stop Android smartphones these days, and Google which hasn't formally supported the RBP 3 with an operating system, appears to have taken notice. Multiple reports are suggesting that the company intends to formally support Raspberry Pi with its ain version of the Android operating system.

The proof of the potential for such support is an empty binder in the Google repository for its AOSP (Android Open up Source Project). In that location are a number of devices and branches listed in the master directory for AOSP, and many of them aren't empty. Including the RBP 3 in this listing would seem to bespeak that Google intends to support the device with future code updates and an Android version. Currently, the RBP 3 is supported by certain Linux distros and even a Windows IoT variant, but bringing Android back up to the diminutive computer would open up a globe of options for the device.

Raspberry Pi 3 diagram Element14

The Raspberry Pi, diagrammed past Chemical element fourteen

The all-time thing about seeing a modern Bone come to the Raspberry Pi would be the options it would open for building genuine systems around the hardware. Without intending any disrespect to Linux or Windows 10 IoT, these operating systems don't take the depth or breadth of applications every bit Android does. Every bit the RBP hardware continues to accelerate, it'll probable close the gap between itself and modern smartphones or tablets by an boosted margin — the current 1.2GHz quad-cadre Cortex-A57 blueprint is a solid target, simply information technology shouldn't be difficult for the Raspberry Pi Foundation to iterate on this base with higher clock speed targets for future designs. The Raspberry Pi and Raspberry Pi two were both built on 40nm process applied science; it's not clear if the Broadcom BCM2837 at the center of the RBP iii is based on 28nm tech or not. If it isn't, then there'south definitely room to push the hardware farther in future iterations of the platform while keeping power consumption steady.

If Google is serious about supporting the RBP 3 with Android — and absent an official confirmation, thatisnotwithstanding an if — it'll open the hardware up to new projects and capabilities, without detracting at all from its original mission to serve as an cheap introduction to computing and figurer programming. While the company hasn't announced anything nevertheless, hopefully the surge of overall interest volition spark an official statement.