ARM introduced its first 64-bit microprocessor architecture, ARMv8, on Thursday, aiming it at devices ranging from sensors to high-end servers. The architecture could be used to design processors for smartphones and tablets in a few years, analysts said.

"Once 64-bit is available, most tablets will move over. The benefit far outweighs the cost," said Dean McCarron, principal analyst at Mercury Research.

The first ARMv8 processor designs are expected next year, and prototype consumer products made with them may be released around 2014, ARM said. Applied Micro Circuits demonstrated a 64-bit ARM processor core at the ARM TechCon conference being held in Santa Clara, California.

ARM is a processor design company that licenses its architecture and designs to chip companies including Nvidia, Qualcomm and Texas Instruments. Most tablets and smartphones today are based on ARM processors, and over the past three years, mostly 32-bit ARM processors have shipped. New 64-bit processors could run applications faster while allowing vendors to include more memory in devices, analysts said.

Processors with 64-bit addressing will allow software to address memory spaces larger than 4GB, which is currently the ceiling for 32-bit ARM and x86 processors, analysts said. With the 64-bit capability, ARM processors will allow devices to play with larger data sets and store more data in memory.