Inside the Microsoft HoloLens 2 augmented/mixed-reality headset is tipped the most major appearance of Qualcomm's own XR1 VR chip. This processor isn't technically as powerful as the Qualcomm Snadpragon 845, but according to all the information we have on the XR1 so far, it's made for and capable of running a device just such as this. The hardware itself is tipped to be coming to the market starting in early 2019.
At Computex 2018, Qualcomm announced what everyone was already expecting: a Snapdragon chip designed solely for Windows 10. Launching from the Snapdragon 845, the Snapdragon 850 aims to address the pain points of the first gen Windows 10 on ARM devices, bringing the latest 10 nm processor, X20 LTE modem, and AI engine into a single system-on-chip. But more than announcing just the Snapdragon 850 itself, Qualcomm also revealed who its first customer would be: its new buddy and part-time rival Samsung.
Qualcomm has revealed its latest chipset, the Snapdragon 850, aiming to bring all-day battery life and always-on connectivity to a new range of Windows 10 notebooks and 2-in-1s. Announced at Computex 2018, the new chipset follows the Snapdragon 845 and its predecessor the Snapdragon 835, themselves already finding their way into Windows 10 on ARM notebooks and convertibles.
Google is reportedly working on a mid-range Pixel smartphone, with plans to release the more affordable Android handset early in 2019. The company is expected to reveal its new flagship Android smartphones - generally believed to be the Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL - later this year, with the mid-range version likely to expand the line-up rather than replace anything currently offered.
It's almost ironic if you think about it. Intel wanted to get into the mobile and wearable market dominated by ARM chip makers like Qualcomm that it rushed head on, only to unceremoniously retreat from those markets after repeated failure. Now it seems that Qualcomm is poised to do the same but coming from the other side. Just days after a rumors surfaced about a Snapdragon 850 or 950 designed for Windows 10 on ARM devices, word arrives of a Snapdragon 1000 for the same. And, to add to the irony, it might be stepping up to Intel's disadvantages as well.
Microsoft's mobile strategy isn't exactly the most consistent. It has all but officially put Windows 10 Mobile and all its smartphones under a bus but, at the same time, seem to be working on a slightly different angle to mobile computing. Yes, that's Windows 10 on ARM, which is already off to a rough start. Part of the lukewarm reception is due to the first devices' performance, which Microsoft and Qualcomm aim to correct with a new batch of Snapdragon 850 devices, including a Surface Phone from Dell.
Right after AT&T suggested they had exclusive access to the LG V35 ThinQ, Google weighed in with a different message. According to Google, Project Fi also has the LG V35 ThinQ, and the LG G7 ThinQ too - and also the Motorola-made Moto G6. That's three new devices for Project Fi, all at the same time.
Qualcomm has revealed its latest chipset, the Snapdragon XR1, but rather than phones it's intended for Extended Reality headsets like AR smartglasses and untethered VR. Slotting in beneath the Snapdragon 845 as a more affordable "XR" option for device-makers, it's part of Qualcomm's attempt to capture entry-level standalone systems.
Qualcomm has unveiled its new Snapdragon 710 Mobile Platform, the first mobile platform in the company's 700-tier portfolio. The 710 Mobile Platform, Qualcomm explains, will bring certain "premium-tier" features to a wider mobile audience. The new chip will offer better performance in areas that include artificial intelligence, connectivity, camera capture, battery life, and more.
One of the most promising features of recent PCs running on Qualcomm's Snapdragon processors is Microsoft's "Always Connected" Windows experience. That is, as long as a data connection is available. That's about to become much easier, and cheaper, thanks to a new Sprint promotion that offers free unlimited 4G LTE through the rest of 2018.
Smartwatches come in all shapes and sizes but most of them have one thing in common: woefully outdated hardware. This is specially true with wearables bearing Google's Wear OS, formerly known as Android Wear, which mostly run on the Qualcomm Snapdragon Wear 2100. Even when it launched way back in 2016, the chipset was already unremarkable. Fortunately for wearable fans, Qualcomm, unlike Intel, isn't yet quitting the market and is preparing a third gen wearable system-on-chip that could give Wear OS smartwatches an edge over their rivals, particularly the Apple Watch.
Although Android P has been in developer preview for about two months now, Qualcomm nicely timed its announcement of support for the next Android release on Google I/O 2018. Its commitment to Android P is both reassuring and, at the same time, puzzling. Because despite showing eagerness on its part to expedite Android updates, it might mean squat for Android users who have to deal not only with OEMs' separate schedules but also with Snapdragon-powered smartphones that aren't supported by this Android P fast track.