Raspberry Pi today launches its next-generation Raspberry Pi 4, a significantly faster and more capable version of the popular industrial single-board computer. Starting at only $35, it will enable the creation of cost-effective industrial IoT applications, accelerating digital transformation across a range of industries.
Offered in 1GB, 2GB and 4GB variants, Raspberry Pi 4 can serve both as a low-cost, low-power embedded controller and as a full-featured Linux workstation. For the first time it will be possible to both develop and deploy industrial IoT applications on a single common hardware platform.
Combining Gigabit Ethernet, 802.11ac wireless networking, and Bluetooth 5.0, with a full set of standard serial interfaces, Raspberry Pi 4 is the ideal bridge between the physical world and the network. It can serve as a leaf node in an IoT network, or as a data aggregator for a large network of even lower-cost sensors. With a powerful quad-core ARM Cortex-A72 processor running at 1.5GHz, it is able to perform sophisticated local processing, reducing upstream bandwidth requirements, and helping to address privacy concerns in distributed machine-learning applications.
The ability to decode high-dynamic-range 4Kp60 HEVC video, and to drive two simultaneous HDMI displays at resolutions up to 4K, means that Raspberry Pi 4 better suited than ever to multimedia applications: examples include digital signage, where one unit can now control two independent panels, and high-end thin client installations.
Previous Raspberry Pi models are used in a broad range of industrial and commercial contexts, from hotel chains, to hydrogen fuel stations, to the ‘smart’ factories of blue-chip organisations including Sony UK Technology Centre. Their popularity results from a winning combination of low cost, high reliability, ready availability and an embrace of open source software and open standards. Raspberry Pi 4 continues in this tradition, providing enterprises of all sizes with access to the tools they need to digitally transform their business. As with all Raspberry Pi products, a high level of backward compatibility facilitates migration of existing Raspberry Pi powered systems to the new model.
Raspberry Pi co-founder Eben Upton said: “Just as we help make coding more accessible for consumers, we also aim to democratise digital innovation in businesses and public services. Today, over 50% of our $35 Raspberry Pi units are destined for industrial and commercial use; Raspberry Pi 4 builds on this success, providing greatly increased performance at the same low cost. We aim to create equality of opportunity across our digital economy, by providing a low-cost platform for technological innovation that is accessible to every organisation, from start-ups to multinationals.”
Steve Dalton OBE, Managing Director of Sony UK Technology Centre, said: “We are extremely proud to be selected as the manufacturing partner for the next-generation Raspberry Pi 4 computers. Our operation in Pencoed has experienced an unprecedented growth in the last six years, something we are understandably incredibly proud of. Our growth has been intrinsically linked to the success of the Raspberry Pi and we are delighted to see our long-standing partnership continue with the launch of the next generation Raspberry Pi computer.
“It’s exciting for us to see the Raspberry Pi technology continue to evolve as we not only produce, but also put the Pi computers into action to challenge and innovate our processes, and push the boundaries of modern manufacturing. It is a significant achievement for the UK manufacturing sector overall to have an internationally successful, high volume, low-cost electronic product manufactured right here in Wales.
“We are confident that our ongoing partnership will serve to further strengthen Wales’s reputation as an innovative and progressive nation and bring vast economic benefits to the UK as a whole.”
Raspberry Pi 41 is available to buy today from Raspberry Pi’s licensee partners element14 and OKdo, and from its global network of Approved Resellers.
About Raspberry Pi
The Raspberry Pi Foundation is a UK-based charity that works to put the power of computing into the hands of people all over the world. We do this so that more people are able to harness the power of computing and digital technologies for work, to solve problems that matter to them, and to express themselves creatively.
We provide low-cost, high-performance computers that people use to learn, solve problems and have fun. We provide outreach and education to help more people access computing and digital making. We develop free resources to help people learn about computing and how to make things with computers, and train educators who can guide other people to learn.
Find out more at www.raspberrypi.org
1 Link to the Raspberry Pi 4 official product landing page (http://rpf.io/raspberrypi4), which will be live when the embargo lifts
With a background in electrical engineering and extensive history in publishing, he focuses on providing Mehatronika's key content and is behind many of our projects and initiatives.
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