Qualcomm teases Snapdragon 865, Snapdragon 765/765G as it eyes 5G expansion, 'Qualcomm Everywhere'
Qualcomm outlined two 5G Snapdragon mobile platforms as it plans to enable a mass rollout of the wireless technology starting in 2020.
For Qualcomm, the launch of the Snapdragon 865 Mobile Platform and Snapdragon 765/765G will be welcome news for device manufacturers. Although 5G smartphones hit the market in 2019, they were usually premium devices with higher price tags. An integrated 5G platform from Qualcomm should mean that devices will have more options to add speedy connectivity.
At Qualcomm's Tech Summit in Honolulu, Alex Katouzian, senior vice president and general manager of mobile, outlined the names of the new 5G platforms, but withheld specs and further details until Wednesday keynote.
He did say that the two new Snapdragon platforms will "lead and scale" 5G and AI in 2020. Key points include:
- The Snapdragon 865 Mobile Platform, includes the Snapdragon X55 5G Modem-RF System.
- The Snapdragon 765/765G integrates 5G connectivity, AI processing and gaming experiences.
- For Qualcomm, the new platforms are an opportunity to maintain its lead in wireless connectivity and ride a 5G adoption wave.
At Qualcomm's recent analyst meeting, Qualcomm projected that 5G adoption would be faster than 4G due to China commercialization and the availability of chipsets that will work across the 5G technologies and spectrums. In 2020, Qualcomm projected 175 million to 225 million 5G handsets with more than 450 million in 2021 before accelerating to more than 750 million in 2022.
Led by 5G, Qualcomm is planning to take Snapdragon to multiple platforms to enable everything from IoT devices (commercial and consumer) to new reality experiences and a bevy of connectivity options.