Qualcomm sets hopes on IoT with new Snapdragon chips

Qualcomm today revealed a new pair of Snapdragon processors meant not for smartphones, but for use in internet of things (IoT) applications. The processors, which have been named the Snapdragon 600E and the Snapdragon 410E, are being introduced by subsidiary Qualcomm Technologies, and the company is quick to point out that this is the first time stand-alone Snapdragon processors have been made available through Qualcomm's third-party distribution partners.

Getting right down to the nitty-gritty, the Snapdragon 600E is the more premium offering of the pair. It will come equipped with a quad-core 1.5GHz Krait 300 processor, an Adreno 320 GPU, and a Hexagon digital signal processor. You'll find Bluetooth 4.0/LE & 3.x, GPS, and 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac compatibility baked into the processor, along with a host of interfaces that include HDMI, PCIe, SATA, DDR3, and SD 3.0.

Conversely, the Snapdragon 410E is a 1.2GHz quad-core processor that swaps out the Adreno 320 for an Adreno 306 and keeps the Hexagon DSP. Compatibility changes somewhat from the 600E, offering support for Bluetooth 4.1/LE, 802.11 b/g/n, and GPS. While the 600E is the more fully-featured processor, Qualcomm says the IoT applications it's aiming for with the 410E include medical devices, digital signage, smart homes, and industrial automation.

Essentially, this announcement is Qualcomm expanding its IoT portfolio to give customers more options. Qualcomm says that the 600E and 410E will enjoy at least ten years of support and on-the-shelf availability, promising to support these chips through 2025. Both processors are available now, and we'll have to see if they're enough to help Qualcomm expand its reach in the embedded computing space.