One of the key features pointed out by Google of its upcoming OS—the Android L—is that it will work well on smartphones that don’t have a lot of processing power. The slimmed version of the OS is designed to work well with basic hardware, while providing inexpensive phones with a feature set equivalent to more expensive ones. There is one other feature, however—the ability to use 64-bit processors.

While other Android versions can work with 64-bit processors, none are optimized for it. This matters because while 64-bit processors can manage more RAM and allow for more complex computing tasks, operating systems that are not designed to work with them natively can cause 32-bit apps to run more slowly or with a higher power drain.

Of the many things that 64-bit processors and apps do better, however, are things like voice recognition, fingerprint identification, and facial recognition. These applications may be very valuable—particularly for an Android phone that needs both non-traditional security features and Google’s voice interface system. Regardless of those factors, however, it does future-proof low-cost phones as 32-bit chips leave the marketplace.