eWeek provides more information on the upcoming dual-core version of the PowerPC 970 due from IBM.
The original Power4 processor which was the basis of the PowerPC 970 design began as a dual core processor. According to eWeek, the additional of the second core should improve efficiency:
IBM documents suggested that hardware and software optimizations would make this processor more efficient in many computing situations than two separate processors at the same clock speed.
Similar details were previously provided by ThinkSecret.