Future next-generation microprocessor AMD Fusion

AMD Fusion is the codename for a future next-generation microprocessor design and the product of the merger between AMD and ATI, combining general processor execution as well as 3D geometry processing and other functions of modern GPUs into a single package. AMD's merger with ATI closed on October 25, 2006. This technology is expected to debut in the second half of 2011, as a successor of the latest microarchitecture.

Regarding future AMD microarchitectures beyond the introduction of the latest microarchitecture at mid-2007 and a refresh of the microarchitecture in late 2007 and early 2008; AMD executive VP Henri Richard's June 2006 interview with DigiTimes hints at the future processor development beyond that of the well documented one:
“     Q: What is your broad perspective on the development of AMD processor technology over the next three to four years?

A: Well, as Dirk Meyer commented at our analysts meeting, we're not standing still. We've talked about the refresh of the current K8 architecture that will come in '07, with significant improvements in many different areas of the processor, including integer performance, floating point performance, memory bandwidth, interconnections and so on. You know that platform still has a lot of legs under it, but of course we're not standing still, and there's a next-generation core that's being worked on. I can't give you more details right now, but I think that what's important is that we're establishing clearly that this is a two-horse race. And as you would expect in a race, sometimes, when one horse is a little bit in front of the other, it reverses the situation. But what's important is that it is a race.  

Some points

 * A heterogeneous multicore microprocessor architecture, combining a general purpose processing core(s) and basic graphics core(s) into one processor package, with different clocks for the graphics core and the central processing core.
    * Four platforms focus on the four different aspects of usage.
          o General Purpose.
          o Data Centric.
          o Graphics Centric.
          o Media Centric.
    * AMD demonstrated their first Fusion CPU/GPU on June 1, 2010 at the Computex trade show. AMD is calling the hybrid device an APU, Accelerated Processing Unit. The demo ran Internet Explorer 9 and Windows 7.

Initial Announcements

Two implementations were announced publicly during AMD events.
Falcon

    * Codenamed the Falcon family.
    * Announced in AMD Technology Analyst Day July 2007.
    * Incorporation with GPU cores.
    * Target market:
          o Originally planned with the codenamed Bulldozer processor cores focusing on desktop market with TDP of 10 to 100 Watts.
          o An option to be implemented into mobile phones, UMPC and small multimedia devices, with the codenamed Bobcat processor core focusing on low power consumption (1 to 10 Watts TDP) computations for handheld devices such as UMPC.

Swift

    * The plan was later changed to bring the first product of Fusion (codenamed Swift ).
    * Announced in AMD Financial Analyst Day December 2007.
    * Based on the codenamed Stars CPU cores (K10 architecture) made on 45 nm process instead of Bulldozer and Bobcat cores.
    * Aimed at notebook market.
    * Native CPU die with a GPU core on the same package , implementing Socket FS1, with two variants:
          o White Swift: Single CPU core.
          o Black Swift: Dual CPU core.
    * Support for DDR3.
    * Incorporation of full DirectX-compliant GPU core(s): RV710-level, codenamed Kong.
          o Unified Shaders architecture.
          o UVD technology for hardware video decoding.
          o ATI Hybrid Graphics Technology: PowerXpress and Hybrid CrossFire X.
          o TDP: 5-8 W (load), 0.6-0.8 W (idle).
    * Codenamed Onion, new interconnect.
    * Codenamed Garlic, new memory interface for reduced memory reading latencies of the GPU.

 Llano and Ontario

    * The plan was then later changed again with "Swift" disappearing from their roadmap entirely. Instead, Llano and Ontario will be the first and second Fusion APUs targeting different market segments, both of which have either internally or externally sampled.
    * Llano and Ontario are based on the Stars quad-core CPU made on 32 nm SOI process  and dual-core Bobcat CPU on 40nm bulk process  respectively.
    * Native CPU die with a GPU core on the same package.
    * Incorporation of full DirectX 11 compliant GPU core(s).
    * Llano will have an integrated PCIe 2.0 controller, a dual channel DDR3-1600 memory controller and 1MB L2 cache per core (no L3 cache) .
    * Ontario is a monolithic System-on-Chip aimed at netbooks, tablets and other low-power devices