IonQ says its record-breaking quantum computer is most powerful ever

By Leah Crane

The ion trap at the heart of IonQ’s quantum computer

Kai Hudek, IonQ

There is yet another contender for most powerful quantum computer ever. IonQ has announced a new machine with 32 quantum bits, or qubits, that the firm says is more practically powerful than any of its competitors.

Unlike ordinary bits, which can store only a 0 or 1, qubits can store a combination of these states, allowing quantum computers to process far more information. IonQ’s machine doesn’t have more qubits than any other computer, but the firm says its quantum volume – a metric coined by IBM …