Main menu

Pages

Qualcomm takes the lid off its new flagship smartphone chips and AR headset

A photo of the two Snapdragon logos on top of two non-descript phones

The Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 and 7 Gen 1 are coming to an Android smartphone near you.
ImageQualcomm

Qualcomm has announced that the next batch of mobile chips is coming to smartphones, tablets and the AR curious. The company unveiled the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1, a boost to the current processor used in the latest Android flagships. Qualcomm also took the lid off its latest mid-range processor, the Snapdragon 7 Gen 1. And since it couldn’t be excluded from the dialogue around augmented reality technologies, Qualcomm also introduced the first piece of reference hardware running on its Snapdragon XR2 platform. . † It is a wireless augmented reality glasses.

Qualcomm’s first silicon refresh starts with its flagship tier chip, the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1. It has a maximum clock speed of up to 3.2GHz and can handle up to 10Gbps 5G speeds – if you’re lucky enough to have access to that . It is also compatible with Wi-Fi 6/6E routers, up to 3.6 Gbps speeds.

Qualcomm especially emphasizes the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1’s capabilities for gaming, adding that the new chip offers “the full suite of Snapdragon Elite Gaming features.” It promises 10% faster speeds and 30% power reduction, so you don’t have to worry about throttling and battery life while gaming on the go. Qualcomm says the new platform will add up to 60 extra minutes of gameplay.

something aboutOne note is Qualcomm’s focus on its AI engine capabilities. The company says the new 8+ Gen 1 delivers up to 20% better performance for things like AI-infused camera capabilities. The 8+ Gen 1 in particular can enable simultaneous bokeh effects and face tracking. It also offers 8K HDR video recording capabilities.

Qualcomm says upcoming Android smartphones will feature the latest premium chip, including releases from Motorola, OnePlus and ASUS, which produce the ROG line of gaming-focused smartphones. The Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 is the successor to the processor in current Android releases, including the Samsung Galaxy S22 UltraMotorola Edge+and OnePlus 10 Pro† Abroad, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 makes the Xiaomi 12 Pro

Image for article titled Qualcomm takes the lid off its new flagship smartphone chips and AR headset

ImageQualcomm

In the mid-range is the Qualcomm Snapdragon 7 Gen 1. The spec sheet indicates that it will offer genuine competition to the latest range of devices in this particular category.

The 7 Gen 1 is the first of Qualcomm’s mid-range series to be converted to the new naming convention, meaning it is the first generation of this new silicon series. Like the flagship 8 Gen 1, the 7 Gen 1 is enhanced with so-called Snapdragon Elite Gaming features, including the Adreno Frame Motion Engine based on its Adreno GPU. This engine helps to double the frame rate so that game content can be scaled up without compromising the power efficiency of the device. Qualcomm promises up to 20% faster graphics and better compatibility with Quad HD+ displays.

The new processor will also help with camera performance. You can shoot simultaneously between three cameras or shoot up to 200MP, a first for Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 7 series. The chip also enables 4K HDR recording, which will be a nice boon for mid-range devices using this chip series.

In addition, Qualcomm touts the Snapdragon 7 Series 1 capabilities for face detection while wearing a mask. Specifically, the 7 Gen 1 will have 30% improved AI performance. As for wireless connectivity, the Snapdragon 7 Gen 1 will have the Qualcomm X62 5G modem, which will support both mmWave and sub-6 networks.

Qualcomm told us that the price level of devices that would include the Snapdragon 7 Gen 1 will likely to be in the $400-$600 range.

Wireless AR Smart Viewer

Image for article titled Qualcomm takes the lid off its new flagship smartphone chips and AR headset

ImageQualcomm

Since Qualcomm’s business is primarily focused on strengthening mobile platforms, it sees the future of augmented reality as equally untethered. The company used this maelstrom of smartphone silicon news to debut its Wireless AR Smart Viewer, a reference device for developers to build “lag-free” AR experiences on Qualcomm’s FastConnect XR Software Suite.

The reference design explicitly has a “40% thinner profile and a more balanced weight distribution” compared to Qualcomm’s last-generation XR1-powered platform† Goertek, a Chinese OEM, developed the hardware. It features a dual micro-OLED binocular display with a resolution of 1920 x 1080 per eye, each with frame rates up to 90 Hz. There are also dual monochrome cameras and one RGB camera on the Smart Viewer, allowing for head and hand tracking with six degrees of freedom.

The main selling point of this particular headset is that it showcases the wireless prowess of Qualcomm’s AR platform. The company claims its FastConnect 6900 solution offers “uncompromising” Wi-Fi 6/6E and Bluetooth connectivity, so you don’t have to tether the device while in augmented reality. Qualcomm means that the Smart Viewer will have less than 3ms latency between the headset and the connected smartphone.

Forward-looking Qualcomm

Processor updates are the standard for Qualcomm, and the company has previously done this kind of interim refresh for its flagship silicon. But the elephant that has been hanging around the room with these latest announcements are the respective chips from Google, Samsung and Apple.

While Apple isn’t partnering with Qualcomm for iPhone, its hub is toward the production of its processors began a movement that slowly reverberated to other notable brands with the infrastructure that could support homemade chips. Think of Google and Samsung, as the former has partnered with the latter for the Tensor chip in its Pixel smartphones, as it already makes Exynos chips for its devices. Google has been using its chips since the Pixel 6 and recently announced it would stick with its mid-range series. And while Samsung hasn’t yet removed its flagships from Qualcomm’s hardware, the company did opt for its mid-range Exynos 1280 processor. Galaxy A53 smart phone.

Qualcomm still has numerous partnerships in the global smartphone industry. And while the latest processors offer a glimpse of how it goes to keep up with the competition, it’ll be interesting to see how it fare. dominance while Google and Samsung drift off to do their own thing.

#Qualcomm #takes #lid #flagship #smartphone #chips #headset

Comments