Today, developers are consistently trying to meet consumer needs as the number of smart device users and the latest technology adopters increase exponentially. As per Statista, there were approximately 3.5 billion mobile phone users worldwide in 2020, and this number has increased to 3.8 billion as 2021 draws near to the end. However, the recent rollout of 5G has given developers a powerful tool in the non-stop struggle to meet consumer expectations.
The latest radio technology built to deliver high-speed performance, 5G, is not actually an upgraded version of 4G but a different technology altogether. Although an extensive rollout has been delayed due to COVID-19, the world has its eyes on 5G. According to a Gartner report, the global market size for 5G network infrastructure came in at $13.7 billion in 2020 but saw a 39 percent growth in just a year, bringing the market size to $19.1 billion as of 2021.
Experts predict it will do much more than significantly improve the network connection, as emerging 5G networks feature lower latency, higher capacity, and increased bandwidth compared to 4G. These benefits that 5G holds, along with the advent of 5G mobile platforms, will allow developers to bring innovative new applications to smartphones, which has already begun.
Recently, during the annual Snapdragon Tech Summit 2021, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc., a wireless technology innovator, introduced its latest premium 5G mobile platform, Snapdragon® 8 Gen 1.
The new Snapdragon 8 leads the way into a new era of premium mobile technology equipped with cutting-edge 5G that will be adopted by global OEMs and brands including Black Shark, Honor, iQOO, Motorola, Nubia, OnePlus, OPPO, Realme, Redmi, SHARP, Sony Corporation, vivo, Xiaomi, and ZTE, with commercial devices expected by the end of 2021.
“As the world’s most advanced mobile platform, Snapdragon is synonymous with premium Android experiences, and the new Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 sets the standard for the next generation of flagship mobile devices,” said Alex Katouzian, senior vice president and general manager of mobile, compute, and infrastructure Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. “It delivers connectivity, photography, AI, gaming, sound, and security experiences never before available in a smartphone.”
In terms of connectivity, it’s equipped with the 4th gen Snapdragon X65 5G Modem-RF System, making it the most advanced 5G mobile platform and the world’s first 5G modem-RF solution to reach 10 Gigabit download speeds. Snapdragon 8 features the Qualcomm® FastConnect™ 6900 Mobile Connectivity System supporting the fastest Wi-Fi speeds available—up to 3.6 Gbps—over Wi-Fi 6 and 6E to ensure games and apps perform smoothly, even with multiple devices on one network.
The mobile platform also raises the level in terms of security, as the Snapdragon 8 features vault-like security to help keep users’ data protected. It features a dedicated Trust Management Engine to achieve heightened security and provide additional Root of Trust for apps and services. Snapdragon 8 is also the world’s first mobile platform to feature Android Ready SE—the new standard for digital car keys, drivers’ licenses, and more. Additionally, the Qualcomm® Secure Processing Unit features support for iSIM, an integrated SIM card so users can easily and securely connect to cellular networks without a SIM card.
Users can also experience a new class of crisp, crystal-clear voice and music with integrated Bluetooth 5.2 and Snapdragon Sound™ Technology, now featuring Qualcomm® aptX™ Lossless Technology for CD-quality lossless wireless audio. The Snapdragon mobile platform supports all-new LE audio features such as broadcast audio, stereo recording, and voice back-channel for gaming.
The mobile platform also emphasizes camera quality, which is a major selling point for smartphones today. Snapdragon Sight™ Technology includes the first commercial 18-bit mobile ISP, capturing over 4000x more camera data than its predecessor for extreme dynamic range, color, and sharpness at staggering speeds up to 3.2 gigapixels per second. Snapdragon 8 also includes a fourth separate ISP, the new Always-On ISP, which allows the camera to run with extremely low power consumption so users can experience always-on face unlocking and locking if your face isn’t present for heightened privacy.
Finally, while most of these features benefit gaming on mobile phones, the Snapdragon also features the 7th Gen Qualcomm AI Engine, which is equipped with the ultra-high performance and efficient Qualcomm® Hexagon™ processor, featuring a 2x faster tensor accelerator and 2x larger shared memory than its predecessor.
Ultimately, Snapdragon 8 is simply one of the first mobile platforms set to hit the market while leveraging the new 5G networks. And, whether it’s tomorrow, next year, or five years down the line, at some point, there’ll be more mobile platforms like Snapdragon 8 that will take advantage of the myriad benefits 5G technology has to offer.
