Qualcomm

267 'Qualcomm' stories June 2011 - March 2016

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PSA: Unlike LG’s G5, the Galaxy S7 doesn’t have support for Qualcomm’s Quick Charge 3.0

Edoardo Maggio Mar 1 2016 - 10:48 am PT

Battery life is undoubtedly one of the major pain points most consumers have with their smartphones. Because of technological limitations, OEMs often have to find workarounds for squeezing out as much screen on (and off) time as possible, often working on software optimizations or simply trying to fit a larger unit inside the body of the device – at times making it removable.

Another way of circumventing such limitation took form in the way of making batteries recharge much faster, thanks to technologies such as Qualcomm‘s ‘Quick Charge’, which has now arrived at its v3.0. Expected to hit the majority of 2016 flagships, – like the LG G5, which does indeed support it – the latest iteration didn’t however make it to the Samsung Galaxy S7 (and S7 edge), which stuck with last year’s 2.0…

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Rapid-charging race heats up as Oppo claims full charge in 15 mins over MicroUSB or USB-C

Ben Lovejoy Feb 23 2016 - 4:52 am PT

The race to allow us to rapidly charge our smartphones got a big boost last year when Qualcomm announced that the Quick Charge 3.0 tech in its Snapdragon 820 chip would allow a typical smartphone to be charged to 80% capacity in 30 minutes. Oppo is now claiming that you’ll be able to recharge some of its devices in just 15 minutes, reports Engadget.

Oppo says that’s about how much time it’ll take to charge a dead 2,500mAh battery to 100%, and that the technology will work over traditional MicroUSB and USB Type-C cables …

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Qualcomm introduces new, more powerful & efficient mid-range Snapdragon 625, 435 + 425 processors

Cam Bunton Feb 11 2016 - 9:23 am PT

Following up its Snapdragon Wear 2100 announcement, Qualcomm has introduced three new low/mid-tier processors to power the next wave of affordable smartphones. The latest additions are the Snapdragon 625, 435 and 425, and all include a notable improvement on previous generation SoCs.

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Samsung is manufacturing Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 820 processor

Abner Li Jan 13 2016 - 6:40 pm PT

Samsung announced today that they will be manufacturing Qualcomm’s upcoming Snapdragon 820 chip. In particular, the Korean company cites how the Snapdragon chips will take advantage of a new 14-nanometer process and that it will be available on devices being released during the first half of the year.

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Xiaomi ‘Gemini’ benchmark leaks, suggests Snapdragon 820 will be really fast

Cam Bunton Nov 12 2015 - 4:10 am PT

Qualcomm promised when it launched the Snapdragon 820 that it’s next processor would offer a huge jump in performance and efficiency over its predecessor. If a benchmark result on Geekbench is anything to go by, those claims look like they’ll be true. Those worried by the fact it’s ‘only’ quad-core should stop worrying now.

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Samsung Galaxy S7 firmware development reportedly begins, could signal early announcement

Cam Bunton Nov 11 2015 - 6:58 am PT

Samsung has begun development on the firmware for both versions of the upcoming Galaxy S7, according to reports (via SamMobile). Development on both G930FXXU0AOK6 and G935FXXU0AOK6 started this month, perhaps signaling the phone could arrive earlier than usual. Last year, the same development work didn’t start until December, and the phone was announced at the beginning of March, at MWC in Barcelona. If there’s a similar gap between development and release this time around, we could see a phone announced as early as January or early February…

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Snapdragon 820 processor officially announced, features Quick-Charge 3.0, Adreno 530 GPU, 600Mbps LTE cat. 12, more

Cam Bunton Nov 10 2015 - 9:02 am PT

After months of testing, and pre-release teasers, Qualcomm has finally taken the wraps off its next generation flagship Snapdragon processor. The Snapdragon 820 has a number of capabilities and features which should mean all parts of your phone experience are fast and efficient. Surprisingly, the chip features half the number of cores found in the 810 chip, but promises to boost performance across the board…

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Report: Google wants to design its own smartphone chips to more directly compete with Apple

Chance Miller Nov 5 2015 - 3:17 pm PT

According to a new report from Amir Efrati of The Information, Google has recently been in discussions with microchip manufacturers about having a deeper involvement in the design of chips used in Android devices. Google hopes to help create a more uniform offering of Android phones by taking part in the chip design process with a company like Qualcomm.

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Huawei announces flagship Kirin 950 octa-core processor, will give Snapdragon 820 a run for its money

Cam Bunton Nov 5 2015 - 2:31 am PT

Right on schedule, Huawei took the wraps off its next generation mobile processor at an event in Beijing this morning. The Kirin 950 packs in some impressive specs and looks set to give Qualcomm’s already-troubled Snapdragon 820 chip some stiff competition…

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Qualcomm: Rumors of Snapdragon 820 overheating are not true

Cam Bunton Oct 29 2015 - 4:00 am PT

A couple of days back, rumors emerged claiming that Samsung was working hard to deal with heating problems found while testing the Snapdragon 820 processor in its upcoming Galaxy S7. Although it’s similar to the rumors surrounding the SD810 last year, it was still surprising. Qualcomm stated earlier in the year that its next processor has enhanced performance and efficiency. A stance which the manufacturer was keen to repeat on Weibo having seen those Samsung rumors:

Some recent media reports about Xiaolong 820 rumors performance is not real news.Xiaolong 820 processor all IP modules are to achieve improvement and enhancement, and the use of second-generation 14-nanometer manufacturing process. Xiaolong 820 reached all our design specifications. More importantly, the Xiaolong 820 OEM manufacturers to meet the requirements of its terminal cooling and performance specifications

Qualcomm is no stranger to controversy surrounding the performance of its mobile processors. Last year, the Snapdragon 810 was dropped from the Galaxy S6 before launch, allegedly due to overheating problems. (Qualcomm denied those reports too.) Even devices that shipped with the chip had to under-clock them to deal with the problem, forcing Qualcomm to ship a revised edition. This was a major factor in Qualcomm’s disastrous year. A lack of confidence in new Snapdragon processors, and the rise of competitive lower-priced chips forced the company to make drastic cuts.

The Snapdragon 820, like its predecessor, is facing controversy even before it’s launched, and that’s not good news for Qualcomm. Even if the rumors aren’t true, it won’t do much to inspire confidence in the brand and could lead to a rise in orders from companies like MediaTek and Intel.

Report claims Samsung modifying Snapdragon 820 for Galaxy S7 due to ‘heat problems’

Cam Bunton Oct 27 2015 - 1:05 pm PT

A new report from Business Korea has a striking air of familiarity about it. According to the site’s sources, Samsung is working hard to ‘stabilize’ Qualcomm’s next generation Snapdragon 820 processor. Samsung is purportedly modifying the processor’s control program to deal with its ‘heat problems’. If that doesn’t work, it will build a radiating pipe in to its next flagship phones to stop the processor from overheating…

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Teardown reveals Nexus 5X is easily repairable, includes Qualcomm Quick Charge chip

Jordan Kahn Oct 22 2015 - 12:52 pm PT

As usual, iFixit has cracked into the latest Nexus device, Google’s Nexus 5X manufactured by LG, to give us our first look at the insides of the device and some insight into just how repairable it will be for owners.

Google’s Android team already filled us in on why it left out Qi Charging on the new Nexus devices (the reversible USB Type-C included is simply more efficient, it said), but we didn’t get an answer on why it didn’t take advantage of Qualcomm’s Quick Charge technology. It turns out the device actually includes a chip that supports the feature, the Qualcomm SMB1358, Quick Charge 2.0 IC, as confirmed in the teardown earlier today. And Qualcomm supports the Nexus 5X’s new USB-Type C connector, so it’s still a possibility the feature could be enabled for the device in the future.

But apart from getting a look inside of the device for the first time, the teardown doesn’t reveal many details we didn’t already know. It does, however, show that Nexus 5X is easily repairable compared to much of its competition with a score of 7 out of 10 meaning most components of the device will be easy to swap in and out or fix. The one downside iFixit noticed included a fused display assembly, which it noted means the “glass and LCD will need to be replaced together if one or the other breaks.”

The positives include the fact that several components “are modular and can be replaced independently,” according to iFixit, and that a standard Phillips screw driver, and not proprietary tools and parts like other devices, is all that’s necessary to open the device.

You can check out iFixit’s full tear down here.

Report: Samsung Galaxy S7 will have Snapdragon 820 in US & Chinese markets, Exynos elsewhere

Cam Bunton Oct 2 2015 - 2:58 am PT

Following evidence suggesting that Samsung has tested at least two revisions of the Snapdragon 820 processor in its next flagship, the Galaxy S7, a new report claims that the upcoming smartphone will indeed ship with Qualcomm’s next high-end chip. Korean publication, ETNews claims that Samsung will be targeting its biggest markets (America and China) with the SD820-equipped smartphone…

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Samsung testing Snapdragon 820 in Galaxy S7 according to leaked benchmarks

Cam Bunton Sep 22 2015 - 5:52 am PT

Samsung caused a lot of chatter in the tech scene when it decided to eschew Qualcomm’s Snapdragon chips in favor of its own Exynos processors this year. All four of Samsung’s high end devices feature its own processor in every market worldwide. But that could change next year. According to a few leaks posted to Chinese social network, weibo, Qualcomm has sent a few different versions of its Snapdragon 820 processor to Samsung for testing in its Galaxy S7.

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Expect next year’s flagships to offer 600Mbps LTE and faster, smarter charging with Snapdragon 820 chip

Ben Lovejoy Sep 15 2015 - 4:02 am PT

Qualcomm had already promised its top-of-the-range Snapdragon 820 chip – expected to be used in next year’s flagship Android smartphones and cellular tablets – will boost battery-life and offer great improvements to photos. Now the company says we can also expect much faster LTE-Advanced connections, and smarter, faster charging.

The Snapdragon 820 will increase maximum LTE download speeds by a third, from 450Mbps to 600Mbps. Maximum upload speeds will double to 150Mbps – currently viewed as an impressive download speed. And speeds could be even higher thanks to support for the as yet unofficial LTE-U standard …
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Huawei debuts flashy all-metal G8 smartphone w/ ultra low-light shooting camera

Zac Hall Sep 2 2015 - 11:25 am PT

The 5.5-inch Ascend Mate S flagship smartphone isn’t the only new smartphone coming out of Huawei at IFA today. The Chinese handset maker also unveiled its new premium Huawei G8 smartphone launching in several non-US markets next month. The Huawei G8 sports a full-metal body and comes in dark silver, gold, and white tones with a 1080p 5.5-inch curved Gorilla Glass display.
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Snapdragon 820 will be first chip to include Qualcomm’s anti-malware Smart Protect feature

Cam Bunton Aug 31 2015 - 6:50 am PT

In a press release this morning, Qualcomm announced a brand new technology to help keep us protected from potential malware threats on our smartphones. Smart Protect will be built into chips in the near future and provide “real-time, on-device machine learning designed to support accurate and effective detection of zero-day malware threats for improved personal privacy and device security”. Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 820 chip will be the first to feature the new technology when it hits the market in 2016.

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Snapdragon 820 will boost photo quality & battery life, says Qualcomm – but Huawei-made Nexus may not get it

Ben Lovejoy Aug 12 2015 - 5:57 am PT

Qualcomm’s new Snapdragon 820 chip, which has been rumored to be powering the Huawei-made 5.7-inch Nexus due to ship later this year, will come with a new Adreno 530 GPU, says the chipmaker. The new GPU will offer improved battery-life when watching movies or playing graphics-intensive games, and will also offer significantly improved image-processing when taking photos, said Tim Leland, head of Qualcomm’s visual processing group.

Our Adreno 5xx-class GPU, brings an entirely new level of imaging to smartphones, and is designed to allow Snapdragon-powered devices to capture ultra-clear, vivid photos and videos regardless of motion and lighting conditions and display them with the color accuracy that nature intended …

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4.7-inch Alcatel OneTouch Idol 3 available in US and Canada from Friday

Cam Bunton Aug 10 2015 - 6:00 am PT

Months after its initial announcement at MWC in Barcelona, Alcatel OneTouch is finally making the smaller, 4.7-inch Idol 3 available to buy in the US and Canada. You will be able to order the device for $179 from the company’s online store or Alcatel’s official Amazon store from Friday, August 14. In terms of design, the 4.7-inch model looks virtually identical to its bigger brother. But it does come with different specifications.

Instead of housing a full HD display panel, the smaller phone comes with a 1280×720 resolution screen. Thanks to its size, that still pushes it over the 300ppi mark. It has a 13MP rear camera, 5MP front camera and has a 2,000mAh battery to keep it going all day. What’s more, it’s powered by a Quad-core 1.2GHz processor paired with 1.5GB RAM and with 16GB of internal storage. Like the bigger model, you can expand the memory using a MicroSD card, but only up to an extra 32GB. Surprisingly, for a phone this small, it still manages to pack in a pair of stereo front facing speakers powered by JBL audio, just like the 5.5-inch model.

On the software side, it runs Android 5.0.2, what’s more, a security update to patch the Stagefright bug will be available to download OTA as soon as you power the device on.

Overall, it’s a promising device but it will be interesting to see how well it compares to Motorola’s latest Moto G. At the same price point, and similar-ish specs, these two devices are clear competitors.

Xiaomi announces new Redmi 2 Prime, its first smartphone ‘made in India’

Cam Bunton Aug 10 2015 - 4:02 am PT

Smartphone manufacturers are climbing over each other to take full advantage of the rapidly expanding market opportunities in India. Chief among them is Chinese smartphone manufacturer, Xiaomi, which has just announced its first smartphone assembled in India, for the Indian market only. The Redmi 2 Prime still predominantly uses parts from China, but is assembled in Sri City.

As for the device itself, the Redmi 2 Prime offers a considerable memory and storage upgrade on the regular Redmi 2 without costing a whole lot more. For just under 7,000 Rupees ($110 USD) you get a device packing 2GB RAM and 16GB storage, that’s double the memory and capacity of the Redmi 2 which costs just under 6,000 Rupees ($94 USD). Both devices make use of Qualcomm’s 64-bit Snapdragon 410 processor and host 4.7-inch IPS HD (1280×720) displays and an 8MP camera on the back. What’s more, they’re dual SIM and can cope with LTE speeds up to 150Mbps.

Xiaomi plans to bring more of its manufacturing process to India, eventually producing more of its components and packaging within Indian borders. Hugo Barra, Xiaomi’s chief stated “this is like the typical chicken and egg story. Unless there is any smartphone manufacturing happening in the country, you cannot expect to get components locally.” So this is very much just the first step in its journey to cracking the Indian market.

Indian consumers can purchase the new Redmi 2 Prime direct from mi.com from today.

OnePlus: This year’s 2nd phone won’t be OnePlus 3, lack of NFC and Quick Charge for the best

Tom Maxwell Aug 3 2015 - 10:22 am PT

Today in a Reddit AMA (“ask me anything”) held by four employees of OnePlus, the Chinese smartphone upstart fielded questions on everything from when VoLTE (voice-over-LTE) will be enabled in the OnePlus 2 to what exactly happened in its fallout with Android-focused blog Android Police. But the most interesting questions the four employees answered were in regards to why the new phone doesn’t include hardware features standard in other recently launched smartphones like NFC for touch-based payments or wireless charging.
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Qualcomm announces WiPower: Wireless charging compatible with metal smartphones

Cam Bunton Jul 28 2015 - 11:35 am PT

Qualcomm announced today that it has become the first company to launch wireless charging that works on devices with metal casing. WiPower is not only material-agnostic, in that it can technically charge all kinds of devices, but it can do so at a distance and charge multiple devices simultaneously. If it works as Qualcomm says it does, this could be one of the most versatile and easy-to-use wireless charging solutions announced so far.
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Full 2015 Moto G spec sheet leaks, includes Snapdragon 410, 5-inch screen, more

Stephen Hall Jul 24 2015 - 11:47 am PT

It looks like there aren’t going to be any surprises at all come next week. Earlier today, we told you that some of the best images of the Moto G we’ve seen yet leaked thanks to LaptopMedia, and now the same publication has studied their device and put together an entire spec sheet…
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OnePlus co-founder Carl Pei has no degree, lives in AirBnB homes and “wants to change the world”

Cam Bunton Jul 23 2015 - 2:28 am PT

There’s no getting away from OnePlus‘ effect on the market. From the very beginning it planned to be disruptive and offer consumers what they really wanted: A flagship phone at a low price. Despite controversies and frustrations over its marketing and invite-based purchases, OnePlus has gone on to sell over 1.3 million units of its first smartphone. That may not seem like much in a market where companies sell millions of phones. But this is just one phone, made by one small company that most consumers still haven’t heard of.

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