Snapdragon

The entire tech world has been plunged into another crisis while still wallowing in the COVID-19 pandemic. A global shortage in semiconductor components, specifically microchips and processors, are rocking companies from carmakers to, of course, consumer electronics manufacturers. Smartphone OEMs seem to be taking things in stride but the shortage may have finally caught up with Samsung whose newest mid-range phones are now reportedly delayed because of that.

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Manufacturers and network operators have been pushing 5G technology hard, even throughout a pandemic that forced some industries to stall for a while. Now it seems, however, that one of the most critical pieces of hardware that enables that technology for users might be putting them at risk as well. Qualcomm's 5G modem reportedly has a very severe flaw that can be exploited through Android, putting potentially hundreds of thousands of users at risk.

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Whispers of a new Chromebook with what could be a detachable OLED touchscreen and a significant uptick in connectivity and multimedia have emerged, promising a potential rival to Apple's iPad Pro. The new Chrome OS detachable, codenamed Homestar, is expected to use Qualcomm's Snapdragon 7c rather than an Intel processor.

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Last year's Galaxy S20 wasn't exactly the heavy hitter that Samsung had hoped, at least not compared to how much interest and sales the Galaxy S21 this year garnered. It was even eclipsed by its own "Fan Edition", the Galaxy S20 FE that was announced just a month after the Galaxy Note 20 series. Its success may have encouraged Samsung to launch yet another Galaxy S20 FE, one that doesn't have 5G capability but runs on the same 5G-capable Snapdragon 865 as the 5G model.

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Qualcomm has revealed the latest chipset in its 7 Series, with the new Snapdragon 780G 5G Mobile Platform promising to cherry-pick some of the best tech from the more expensive Snapdragon 888 flagship. Expected to arrive in new Android phones sometime from Q2 2021, the Snapdragon 780G marks a number of "firsts" for the series, and looks likely to continue the trend of midrange devices to be arguably more exciting than their most expensive brethren.

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The success of the ARM-based Apple Silicon and the new M1 Macs put not only Microsoft but also Qualcomm in a rather negative light. The two have been working together for years on ARM-based Windows laptops with very little success but neither company is willing to throw in the towel just yet. In fact, Qualcomm is reportedly working not just on a new high-end Snapdragon 8cx compute platform but also a less powerful Snapdragon 7c chipset that could be used on entry-level Chromebooks and ARM-based Windows laptops.

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Qualcomm is arguably the king of smartphone processors, at least on the non-iPhone side of the mobile world. Premium flagships are more or less defined by how they carry the latest Snapdragon 8-series chip but that, in turn, also determines part of the cost that consumers will have to bear in the end. The past two generations, in particular, have been more expensive than usual because they already packaged a 5G modem, no questions asked. This year, however, Qualcomm might be taking a step back with a Snapdragon 888 that will give manufacturers the choice whether to go 5G or not.

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A few years back, Qualcomm made the rather surprising move to introduce a Snapdragon 7-series that slots in between its high-end premium Snapdragon 8-series and mid-range Snapdragon 6-series chips. That strategy proved to be a wise one when the company introduced 5G capabilities to the series, offering a more affordable option for manufacturers of mid-range phones. The popularity of the Snapdragon 765 and 765G naturally warranted a successor and one such new chip, the Snapdragon 775, may offer exactly that and more.

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Qualcomm has launched Snapdragon Sound, its new package of audio technology and software for phones and wireless earbuds. It's effectively umbrella branding for everything from mobile chipsets through Bluetooth radios and active noise cancellation, much in the way Snapdragon Mobile Platforms cover SoCs, modems, and more.

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There was quite a buzz recently about Motorola launching three new smartwatches this year after being absent in that market for so long. Granted, it is more likely to be made by a different manufacturer that simply licensed the Moto trademark but, for buyers, the distinction is unlikely to make a difference. That, however, might not actually be the end of the story as there might be a possibility that Motorola (or licensee eBuyNow) may have a fourth one in the works with a rather tempting spec.

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Qualcomm is firmly embedded in phones, and now it wants to dominate the car dashboard, with multiple launches today that should push 5G-connected vehicles, Alexa-powered infotainment, and eventually autonomous driving into the mainstream. Star of the show is the 4th generation Snapdragon Automotive Cockpit Platforms, designed to unlock features like augmented reality and artificial intelligence for the road.

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Qualcomm has revealed its newest mobile chipset, with the Snapdragon 870 5G slotting in just below the most potent Snapdragon 888 as the company expands its flagship series. Successor to the Snapdragon 865 Plus, it will give Android phone-makers another option in the price/performance balance, with manufacturers like Motorola, OnePlus, OPPO, and Xiaomi already onboard.

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