Around the start of this year they were saying the Raspberry Pi 5 would be released next year, so it’s about a quarter or two earlier than previously expected.

Around the start of this year they were saying the Raspberry Pi 5 would be released next year, so it’s about a quarter or two earlier than previously expected. Part of the reason for the separate IO chip is that it can use an older silicon process (40nm) than the main chip (16nm) which makes it easier to have robust GPIO pins.