Yes, I've just read up a few articles on modern SoCs (A15 and later) about thermal management.
Basically, thermal management is being done in three different ways:
1. Try to not produce much heat in the beginning
2. Try to move the heat out of the way as fast as possible
3. Throttle CPU to prevent overheating
Yes, CPU throttling is part of the normal heat management these days.
No smartphone will run at full power for a longer period of time. The maximum CPU power is only planned to be used for peaks.
About 1.:
According to an article I found, the OMAP does a very good job to prevent to produce heat, using TIs SmartReflex technology. If you enable it, the OMAP needs less power (and produces less heat) for the same processing power (due to some smart management).
Of course, that won't work if you run a stress test using both cores at full power, but it will have an effect in normal usage.
About 2.:
We're also doing this, though we need to find out if what we're doing is enough or not
About 3.:
We need to do the other tests first, but I guess some limit will need to be implemented. We cannot do some magical stuff that other manufacturers also can't do.
However, in normal usage, throttling should never be necessary, only when stressing it too much.
Additionally, I opened up a GPD XD to how they are doing it.
The SoC in the GPD can also heat up to 90C (so about the same reach).
I'll make some pictures, but basically, they're doing the same: Using copper layers to spread the heat. There are no heatsinks, no holes in the case, nothing.
Basically, thermal management is being done in three different ways:
1. Try to not produce much heat in the beginning
2. Try to move the heat out of the way as fast as possible
3. Throttle CPU to prevent overheating
Yes, CPU throttling is part of the normal heat management these days.
No smartphone will run at full power for a longer period of time. The maximum CPU power is only planned to be used for peaks.
About 1.:
According to an article I found, the OMAP does a very good job to prevent to produce heat, using TIs SmartReflex technology. If you enable it, the OMAP needs less power (and produces less heat) for the same processing power (due to some smart management).
Of course, that won't work if you run a stress test using both cores at full power, but it will have an effect in normal usage.
About 2.:
We're also doing this, though we need to find out if what we're doing is enough or not
About 3.:
We need to do the other tests first, but I guess some limit will need to be implemented. We cannot do some magical stuff that other manufacturers also can't do.
However, in normal usage, throttling should never be necessary, only when stressing it too much.
Additionally, I opened up a GPD XD to how they are doing it.
The SoC in the GPD can also heat up to 90C (so about the same reach).
I'll make some pictures, but basically, they're doing the same: Using copper layers to spread the heat. There are no heatsinks, no holes in the case, nothing.