US chip giant Qualcomm is widely expected to launch its 7nm high-end Snapdragon processor by the end of this year. The processor that’s tentatively dubbed as the Snapdragon 855 will also usher in 5G cellular speeds, but with a catch. Qualcomm will bundle its X24 modem (also manufactured on the 7nm), but integrate the 855 with the X50 modem that’s manufactured on 10nm and is capable of supporting 5G connectivity. Now, we’ve got more details for the Snapdragon 855, straight from Qualcomm. Head over below to find out.
Qualcomm Confirms That The Snapdragon 855 Will Be Manufactured On 7nm; Starts Making Shipments To Vendors
Qualcomm’s officially shared some important details for its next-generation Snapdragon processor which we will refer to as the Snapdragon 855 for the time being. The company is advertising the processor alongside the X50, choosing to call the pair as a package; a fact that was hinted at earlier in an investor presentation, which featured Qualcomm’s ‘Fusion Platform‘.
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In a press release, the company confirms that the Snapdragon 855 will indeed be manufactured on the 7nm node. This makes it all the more interesting, especially as Apple will also introduce the A11 Bionic’s successor this September, and Qualcomm will have a huge bar to meet since the Cupertino tech giant already made some massive gains with the A11 last year.
The Snapdragon 855 will also help introduce 5G connectivity, with the first attempt at the technology available in the form of Motorola’s Z3 – a gadget that runs on Qualcomm’s X24 but uses a Moto Mod with the X50 to connect with 5G networks. The 855 is expected to feature a similar solution, albeit in a more compact manner.
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The Snapdragon 855 Will Offer 5G Connectivity As Part Of A Broader Platform That Will Include Qualcomm’s X50 Modem
Now, Qualcomm also confirms that it has started making sampling shipments to OEMs that will manufacture devices with the Snapdragon 855. Of course, if you expected that the Google Pixel 3 lineup will feature the Snapdragon 855, you’d be wrong as it’s too late in the pair’s development cycle for Google and its manufacturing partners to start sampling processors. Looks like only the original Pixel and Pixel XL were lucky enough to get a different and slightly upgraded processor from their counterparts.
“We are very pleased to be working with OEMs, operators, infrastructure vendors, and standards bodies across the world, and are on track to help launch the first 5G mobile hotspots by the end of 2018, and smartphones using our next-generation mobile platform in the first half of 2019,” said Qualcomm’s president Cristiano Amon
Recently, it’s also surfaced that the company might depart from its current naming framework for the high-end Snapdragon processors. Qualcomm’s also dipping its toes in the low-power notebook segment, and to that end, we’ve seen several reports of a Snapdragon 1000 come to light. The US chip giant is expected to make things clearer with updated nomenclature; although we’re uncertain of any confusion that might surface. After all, Snapdragon 1xxx and Snapdragon 8xx sound pretty different.
Thoughts? Let us know what you think in the comments section below and stay tuned. We’ll keep you updated on the latest.
