ARM has released a software development kit (SDK) for its mobile graphics processors, acquired when it bought Norwegian firm Falanx Microsystems in the middle of last year.

ARM CEO Warren East flagged the chip IP firm's plans to enter the 3D graphics processor market last year.

The processors are the Mali55, which is available in silicon from Zoran today, and the forthcoming Mali200. Both are aimed at 3D and 2D graphics in mobile devices and are expected to partner ARM cores on mobile phone system chips.

Aimed at games developers, the SDK includes real-time simulation models (RTSMs) of the ARM11 or ARM9 with extensions to simulate the Mali55 or 200. Close to real-time operation is expected on standard PCs.

Included are performance analysis tools. “These are necessary to find performance bottlenecks in graphics subsystems and are also good for performance optimisation in general,” ARM graphics business development manager and former Falanx CEO Borgar Ljosland told EW.

OpenGL ES (embedded subset), the API for 3D graphics on mobile devices developed by graphics industry body Khronos Group, is also in the kit as is Khronos’ OpenVG for hardware-accelerated 2D graphics.

Mali200 will be OpenGL ES version 2.0 -compliant. “The 200 is a complex piece of hardware which offers the same type of functionality as the Xbox360 and PS3,” said  Ljosland. “You can use it as a CPU, heavily optimised for the manipulation of polygons.”  Adding that this processor has enough computing power to drive the TV-out connections increasingly seen on mobile devices.

Handsets containing a Zoran Mali55 are expected next year, said Ljosland.

Then Mali200s on the same silicon as either an ARM1176 or CortexA8 should hit the shops in 2009, followed by monolithic ARM9-Mali55 combinations in 2010.