Qualcomm is changing the way Snapdragon processors are named to accommodate future products. The new naming pattern will be revealed at the upcoming Snapdragon Tech Summit on November 30, and will be implemented by an independent Snapdragon, which is separating from the Qualcomm brand.
Semiconductor giant Qualcomm is tweaking the way it positions its line of Snapdragon systems on a chip (SoCs). This week, the company announced Snapdragon will now exist as a standalone brand, separate from Qualcomm. But only in name, without changing anything else with respect to operations.
It looks like Qualcomm is confident of Snapdragon being a standalone, self-sustaining brand, which according to the company has over 2 billion device users. This essentially means Snapdragon SoCs by the San Diego, CA-based company won’t have the name ‘Qualcomm’ as the preface in the product name. Qualcomm hasn’t clarified the rationale behind this move as of now.
As of now, the company has this to say: “We’ve separated the Qualcomm and Snapdragon brands. Going forward, Snapdragon will be a standalone product brand with specific ties to the Qualcomm brand where appropriate.†Maybe we can expect clarity from the chipmaker at the upcoming Snapdragon Tech Summit on November 30.
Qualcomm’s ARM-based Snapdragon products are used by OnePlus, Nokia, Asus, Motorola, Xiaomi, and Samsung in several devices such as smartphones, TVs, laptops, wearables, etc.
Besides cutting the cord between what are arguably two of the most well known mobile processor names in the industry, Qualcomm also announced an overhaul of the SoC nomenclature, putting to rest rumors concerning the same.
See More: A Google-Designed Processor for Computers May Be on the Cards As Soon as 2023
“A new simplified and consistent naming structure for our platforms makes it easier for our customers to discover and choose devices powered by Snapdragon. This means our mobile platforms will transition to a single-digit series and generation number, aligning with other product categories — starting with our newest flagship Snapdragon 8-series platform,†Qualcomm said.
This changes the existing three-digit naming system, i.e., 400, 600, 700, 800 series, nine years after it was adopted in 2012. The reason behind this, besides simplification of the nomenclature, is possibly because the company is running out of numbers to accommodate the forthcoming generation of SoCs.
Let us take a look at the way Qualcomm named the SoCs until now. The first of the three digits was a way to denote the power of the processor. So it becomes clear that the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8xx is more powerful than Snapdragon 7xx or 4xx. The second digit delineates the generation of the SoC while the last indicates changes in an updated processor belonging to the same power category and generation.
For example, the soon-to-be launched successor of the flagship Qualcomm Snapdragon 888, which would’ve been named Snapdragon 898, will not have a name in accordance with the new naming pattern. The company didn’t clearly say what this pattern will be but it does use a generational-based naming system for its line of computer processors.
Qualcomm also mentioned it will use representative colors to indicate different product tiers. These colors are Gold, Midnight, Gunmetal, Nickel, Snapdragon Red. Gold, for instance, will represent only the top, premium-tier products. Additionally, Qualcomm said given the ubiquity of 5G, it has eliminated the need to call it out specifically on assets. “Moving forward, with Snapdragon connected platforms, 5G will be a given.â€
Obviously, none of this will impact consumers in any way.
Qualcomm added, “As our audience grows and affinity builds, Snapdragon will be at the heart of more devices than ever before, inspiring new fans around the world. Our brand will need a bigger tent, a longer playing field so to speak, to broaden its appeal while keeping true to its core.†It is unclear whether Snapdragon, like competitor MediaTek, will shift its line of different processors for smartphones, personal computing, smart TVs/wearables under new umbrellas.
Update
On November 30, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1Opens a new window was launched. The new 5G chipset will be available for devices in a month. It uses/enables:
- 7th generation AI
- Wi-Fi 6 and 6E
- 10 Gigabit 5G Modem-RF
- Download speed of 10 Gbps on 5G and 3.6Gbps on Wi-Fi 6
- 18-bit ISP that captures 4000x more camera data, 8K
- GPU is 25% more efficient, delivers 30% faster graphics rendering
The chipset will be leveraged for devices by companies such as OnePlus, Sony, Asus, Samsung, Motorola, Leica, Honor, Xiaomi, Poco, Kyocera, Oppo, Vivo, Realme, iQoo, ZTE, Fujitsu, and others.
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