ARM Holdings unveiled a new low-power processor for next-generation smartphones, mobile computing, servers and wireless networking on Thursday.

The A15 processor, codenamed Eagle and part of ARM's Cortex A family, delivers five-times better performance than today's advanced smartphone processors, ARM said in a statement.

It will support functions such as 3D navigation, augmented reality -- where data is superimposed on real images -- and high-speed broadband.

The processor's first licensee is Texas Instruments, which along with Samsung and ST-Ericsson was a lead partner in its development. Sample chips are expected next year.

Analyst Nick James at Panmure Gordon said it was a strong opportunity for ARM to widen its addressable markets, after the group penetrated the mobile computing market with its success in Apple's iPad.

"This gives them opportunities in wireless infrastructure, enterprise networking and servers," he said. However, he said success was not guaranteed, and he left his estimates unchanged at this stage.

ARM-based chip are in more than 95 of the world's mobile phones and it is increasingly competing with Intel in netbooks and tablet computers.   

Apple's A4 chip, which is in its iPhone 4 and iPad tablet computer, is based on ARM's Cortex-A8 core.  In addition, chipmakers including Samsung, Toshiba, and Nvidia license ARM's architecture and then pay a royalty, averaging about 10 cents, on each chip shipped. - Reuters