Qualcomm to bring 5G to cheaper smartphones next year

Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. detailed its 5G expansion doe smartphones and personal computers at the Internationale Funkausstellung (IFA), Berlin on Thursday.

The company will be expanding its 5G mobile platform to its Qualcomm Snapdragon 4-series chipset in early 2021. It also launched a new 5G computing platform for PCs, the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8cx Gen 2 5G.

Bringing 5G to cheaper smartphones

Qualcomm has expanded its 5G capabilities to cover the Snapdragon 6,7 and 8 series. The company is now developing the platform to the 4 series to expand 5G support for value-priced smartphones from brands such as Motorola, Oppo and Xiaomi.

Cristiano Amon, president, Qualcomm Incorporated said, “The Snapdragon 4-series 5G Mobile Platform is designed to exceed expectations for the mass-market segment by bringing an assortment of predominately high- and mid-tier features to a broader audience. It will deliver on the promise of making 5G accessible to all smartphone users.”

New 5G compute platform

Qualcomm also launched its Qualcomm Snapdragon 8cx Gen 2 5G compute platform at the IFA 2020.

The platform promises “5G connectivity, enterprise-grade security and AI acceleration, as well as an advanced camera and audio technology.”

It will offer Sub-6 GHz and 5G mm-wave 5G connectivity with support for Wi-Fi 6.

It will also utilise Qualcomm Aqstic echo cancellation and noise suppression (ECNS) technology for better audio quality. Devices powered by the platform will support up to 4K HDR and support for up to 32 MP camera. It supports Microsoft Secured Core PC and Windows Hypervisor for security.

One of the first devices to be powered by the platform would be from Acer, the company said.

“Working remotely is a new reality, and more businesses are looking to quickly and securely connect their employee base, accelerating the need for always-on, always-connected PCs that are thin, light and truly mobile, equipped with blazing-fast 5G cellular and Wi-Fi 6 connectivity, and coupled with multi-day battery-life to boost productivity,” said Miguel Nunes, Senior Director, Product Management, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. “We are excited to expand our customer reach with Acer, to continue bringing the best of the Smartphone to the PC. Together, we will deliver cutting-edge devices and experiences to consumers and businesses, enabling them to connect, create and collaborate anytime from virtually anywhere.”