The future seams bleak for Qualcomm's line of System-on-Chips as reports talk about Xiaomi's plans to make in-house chipsets for its future phones. However, Qualcomm ups its game with a new technology for malware protection known as Snapdragon Smart Protect in its latest Snapdragon 820 SoC.
Qualcomm is a major player in the processor manufacturing business because of its unique chipset framework design. It takes advantage of the fact that most Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM) lack sufficient knowledge on integrating apt technology in their devices, according to Android Headlines. Qualcomm's SoCs display powerful and efficient performance and they are capable of regulated power usage.
To cater to low-cost manufacturers, Qualcomm creates downgraded versions of their high-end products. One of their biggest customers in the low and mid-range market is Xiaomi. The Chinese OEM is infamous for its affordable phones and devices. It also utilizes technology developed by MediaTek, another company that rivals Qualcomm.
However, in 2014, Xiaomi's Redmi 2A ran on a $4 in-house processor compared with Qualcomm's $8 chipset. It is believed that the company aspires to follow Apple and Samsung's footsteps. Apple uses Qualcomm for its modem technology exclusive for Apple products only, while Samsung recently launched the Exynos 7420 for Samsung phones. Xiaomi may also want to create a chipset that differentiates it from its competitors.
The International Business Times reports on Qualcomm's decline over the past years. The chipset manufacturing company's flagship device, the Snapdragon 810, backfired horribly because of overheating and throttling issues. Users of Samsung, Sony, HTC, and Xiaomi devices confirmed these issues.
Since then, Samsung temporarily closed its deal with Qualcomm and used its own SoC for its 2015 flagships. Yet, Qualcomm stays optimistic and prepares for a counter attack with its Snapdragon 820 processor. The company's new chipset will serve as a fix to the problems posed by its 810 predecessor.
The Snapdragon 820 eliminates the problems of device throttling and overheating by changing to 14nm manufacturing process. As reported by Business Finance News, the 820 SoC will be the first processor to come equipped with a new feature called Snapdragon Smart Protect for malware prevention. It is said that the company will use its Zeroth technology to support the app in threat regulation.
Xiaomi's plans may be a hindrance to Qualcomm's success but the Snapdragon 820's new feature may turn things around for Qualcomm. There are stipulations that if ever the company devolves in the field of smartphone and tablet processor manufacture, other bigger possibilities await Qualcomm in the market of internet-linked devices and wearable tech.
Qualcomm plans to release the Snapdragon 820 with the Galaxy S7 and other devices coming in 2016. With the new chipset, the company hopes to re-open deals with Samsung and other OEMs like Xiaomi.
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