Droid Life » Qualcomm

13MP Camera and Snapdragon 800 Chip Reportedly Coming Equipped in Samsung Galaxy Note 3

Tim-o-tato — Tue, 28 May 2013 15:45:42 +0000

The newest report out of ZDNet has placed the same 13MP sensor found in the Galaxy S4 inside Samsung’s upcoming Galaxy Note 3, as well as Qualcomm’s top tier Snapdragon 800 processor. While 13MP is nothing to dust off of your shoulder, since the Galaxy S4 features a fantastic camera, the Snapdragon 800 rumor runs a bit opposite from Samsung’s goal to integrate more of their Exynos lineup of chips into flagship devices.

Much like we are already seeing, this could be because getting their Exynos 5 Octa to run on American bands is either somewhat of a challenge or they will leave it to Qualcomm who has already mastered the process. If U.S. customers have to go for the Snapdragon 800, they should know that they are in for a treat either way. The 800 is capable of maintaining a 2.3GHz clock rate, while also being reasonable on power consumption. It features Krait 400 architecture, plus the Adreno 330 GPU inside.

While some people have been hoping to see more “octa-core” devices introduced here in the States, if you planned on giving the Galaxy Note 3 a look and it does in fact run the 800, you will probably walk away pretty happy as a buyer.

Via: ZDNet | SamMobile

13MP Camera and Snapdragon 800 Chip Reportedly Coming Equipped in Samsung Galaxy Note 3 is a post from: Droid Life

Tear Down Reveals American Samsung Galaxy S4 Greatly Differs International Models

Tim-o-tato — Thu, 09 May 2013 22:31:54 +0000

According to a recent tear down by iSuppli, the Samsung Galaxy S4 powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 600 quad-core processor, which is found primarily here in the U.S., is very much different from the International models. Reported in their findings is an extra image processor, manufactured by Fujitsu, which allows the Galaxy S4 to perform some its more process-intensive tasks such as eye tracking. In the Octa core-powered variants of the device, that extra processor is not needed.

Beyond using separate apps processors, the devices also use entirely different wireless, GPS, WiFi, interface, Bluetooth, and FM radio subsystems. To sum it up nicely, they say the “Korean and American versions of the Galaxy S4 are as different as kimchi and coleslaw.” Very nice.

While it is a downer we still don’t have octa-core phones here in the States on our carriers, the Galaxy S4 with the Snapdragon 600 is still one of the fastest Android devices on the market. Nothing to cry over.

Via: Computer World | iSuppli

Cheers Scott!

Tear Down Reveals American Samsung Galaxy S4 Greatly Differs International Models is a post from: Droid Life

Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 Chips to Enter Mass Production This May

Tim-o-tato — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 16:43:51 +0000

While we have already seen Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 600 processor making its way into this year’s top Android devices, we have been awaiting news on when we can start seeing the Snapdragon 800, their crème de la crème. At a media event in Beijing, the company’s senior product manager confirmed that they are to start mass production of the chip this May, but was adamant on not specifying any devices it would be seen in.

What makes the 800 more desirable than the 600 is the Krait 400 architecture, capable of maintaining a clock speed of 2.3GHz, while also being reasonable on power consumption. It will feature the new Adreno 330 GPU, so you can bet a device running the 800 could most likely do laps around other devices on the market in terms of benchmarks.

Feel like taking any guesses as to what we might see it in?

Via: Engadget

Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 Chips to Enter Mass Production This May is a post from: Droid Life

Report: New Nexus 7 Arriving in July, Google Chooses Qualcomm’s Snapdragon Over NVIDIA’s Tegra

Kellex — Wed, 03 Apr 2013 06:18:49 +0000

According to a report out of Reuters this evening, Google will launch a new version of its popular Nexus 7 tablet this July. The tablet will be made by Asus once again, but will use one of Qualcomm’s Snapdragon processors this time around in favor of NVIDIA’s Tegra line, “for power reasons,” one of their sources said. The new N7 will also sport a display with a higher resolution and a casing with a much smaller bezel than the current model.

Outside of those details, little is known including price. But if the current Nexus 7 is anything to go off of, it’s unlikely that this new Nexus 7 will drop in at anything higher than a couple hundred dollars. The current models retail for $199 (16GB) and $249 (32GB), so as this new model is introduced and the old ones are discontinued, it wouldn’t be surprising to see it slide into those exact price points. Remember that Google isn’t trying to make money off of the sales of their devices, they are expecting to make most of their profits off of either mobile ads or the sale of products through Google Play.

With Google I/O arriving in mid-May, there is a good chance that we’ll see this new Nexus 7 on stage. The original Nexus 7 debuted at last year’s Google developer conference, so why not bring us version 2 in the same environment.

Via: Reuters

Report: New Nexus 7 Arriving in July, Google Chooses Qualcomm’s Snapdragon Over NVIDIA’s Tegra is a post from: Droid Life

LG Optimus G2 for T-Mobile Spotted in Benchmarks Running Snapdragon 800

Tim-o-tato — Fri, 29 Mar 2013 16:53:07 +0000

Benchmarks were recently filed through GL Benchmark that point directly towards the upcoming LG Optimus G2 for T-Mobile. Previously, we discussed this device for two main reasons – first that it would be launched possibly running Android 5.0 aka Key Lime Pie, and that it would come powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 800 processor. Today, we can start the process of confirming at least one part of that, as the device has shown up as the LG D801, sporting the MSM8974 (800).

Showing to have a max CPU frequency of just 1728, that is a bit slower (for lack of better term) than the 2.0GHz+ that was rumored a couple of months ago. A quad-core 1.7GHz chip is nothing to cry over though.

Next up, the device that received the benchmark is shown as running Android 4.2.2, not Android 5.0. If it was running KLP before launch/announcement, that would be amazing to say the least. There is no launch date set for the Optimus G2, so it could still be that LG and T-Mobile are awaiting the arrival of Android 5.0 to move forward with the device.

Either way, when the device does launch it will be one of 2013′s superphones, so you will most certainly want to keep an eye out for it.

Via: Blog of Mobile | GL Benchmark

LG Optimus G2 for T-Mobile Spotted in Benchmarks Running Snapdragon 800 is a post from: Droid Life

Samsung May Go With Qualcomm Chips in Galaxy S4 Instead of the Octa

Kellex — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 20:50:08 +0000

According to Korean media outlet Digital Times, Samsung may have to use a different processor in the Galaxy S4 other than the Exynos Octa processor that was unveiled during CES. Instead, they could use one of Qualcomm’s new Snapdragon processors, which wouldn’t be surprising after the benchmark we saw for the Samsung SCH-I545, a device that could be Verizon’s version of the GS4. The processor listed in that benchmark was a Qualcomm Snapdragon 600, the same beast that resides in the new HTC One. By no means would this be some sort of a disappointment, you just wouldn’t be able to run around bragging to friends that your phone has a faux octa-core processor.

This report claims that the Octa is having power consumption issues that may not be resolved in time.

All is rumor or speculation until it becomes official.

Via: Digital Times

Samsung May Go With Qualcomm Chips in Galaxy S4 Instead of the Octa is a post from: Droid Life

Qualcomm Intros Quick Charge 2.0 and Fancy Snapdragon Voice Activation

Tim-o-tato — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 19:20:16 +0000

This morning, Qualcomm dropped two brand new features on us that we will see featured in their upcoming Snapdragon 800 chipsets. Remember Quick Charge 1.0? Well, say hi to Quick Charge 2.0. With 2.0, devices can now receive a full charge up to 75% faster than a device without it. The specially designed chargers, which are backwards compatible, provide enough power and voltage safely to make sure you are spending less time plugged into the wall and more time out and about with your smartphone.

Qualcomm anticipates that devices featuring Quick Charge 2.0 should hit the market by early 2014, so don’t get too excited yet. We have one more year to go.

The second feature that has us pretty excited is the all new Snapdragon Voice Activation. With this feature, your Snapdragon 800-powered device will always be listening for your commands. For example, when your phone is in a deep sleep or even in airplane mode, you can simply say, “Hello, Snapdragon” and the device will awake and unlock. The service is tailored to each device owner’s voice, adding security and low power consumption.

Qualcomm states that this feature will be available hopefully sometime in the second half of 2013, so luckily we won’t be waiting too much longer for this one.

Via: Qualcomm [2]

Qualcomm Intros Quick Charge 2.0 and Fancy Snapdragon Voice Activation is a post from: Droid Life

Qualcomm’s Quick Charge 1.0 Allows Your Device to Charge Up to 40% Faster

Tim-o-tato — Thu, 14 Feb 2013 18:10:41 +0000

In a recent press release, Qualcomm felt like it would be a good idea to remind folks that having a Snapdragon processor in your mobile device is a good thing. If you have noticed that while charging your Snapdragon-powered smartphone/tablet that it charges quicker than your previous non Snapdragon-powered device, then you aren’t hallucinating. In fact, newer Snapdragon devices come equipped with Quick Charge 1.0, a technology that helps charge your device up to 40% quicker.

A phone with Qualcomm Quick Charge 1.0 can charge up to 40% faster than older phones. A phone without Quick Charge 1.0 could be stuck plugged in charging for more than four hours. With Quick Charge 1.0, the same phone can reach its full charge in three hours or less.

Want to know if your phone has Quick Charge 1.0? Here is a brief overview of devices that have this hidden feature. The DROID DNA, Galaxy S3, Nexus 4, One S, EVO 4G LTE, Spectrum 2, Optimus G, RAZR HD, RAZR M, and whole ton of others. For a full list and more detailed look into Quick Charge, you can hit up Qualcomm’s blog.

Via: Qualcomm

Qualcomm’s Quick Charge 1.0 Allows Your Device to Charge Up to 40% Faster is a post from: Droid Life

Qualcomm: You Won’t Be Seeing a Project SHIELD Rival From Us

Tim-o-tato — Fri, 08 Feb 2013 18:50:29 +0000

From what we can see, either you love the idea of NVIDIA’s Project SHIELD or find it to be the biggest waste of resources ever. According to Qualcomm’s Snapdragon Product Manager’s recent comments, I think we know where they stand on that one.

In a recent chat with The Verge, Raj Tulluri said that these devices will find a way to come out to market on their own, which gives Qualcomm little reason to compete with their customers in the hardware-making game. In essence, he feels that they would be stealing business from themselves if they made a rival to Project SHIELD.

I don’t need to make a box. I just need Moga to make a controller. I can’t see too much difference between that and the Project SHIELD. It seems to do everything the Tegra 4 one does!

Although, to clarify, he mentioned that mobile gaming is indeed the future, but he would rather keep to making the chips that power these future devices instead of making one themselves. “I think the market will happen, and I think our customers will make those products happen. I’ve seen a lot of different products people are building.”

Given his role at Qualcomm, Raj works on projects that are years ahead of the market’s offerings, so he is certainly in “the know” in terms of what we can see down the road with mobile gaming and devices.

Long story short, don’t expect to see Qualcomm unveil a gaming console/controller hybrid in the near future.

Via: The Verge

Qualcomm: You Won’t Be Seeing a Project SHIELD Rival From Us is a post from: Droid Life

Analyst Claims New Nexus 7 Will Ditch Tegra Chip in Favor of Qualcomm, Arrives in Q2 of This Year

Kellex — Thu, 07 Feb 2013 22:24:39 +0000

According to Pacific Crest analyst Michael McConnell, the next version of the Nexus 7 will feature a Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro (APQ8064) processor instead of NVIDIA’s next-gen Tegra 4. Because of Qualcomm’s tighter integration with modem technology, McConnell figures that a Snapdragon chip will simplify the supply and essentially lower costs.

As you all know, the current Nexus 7 runs NVIDIA’s Tegra 3 processor. However, thus far, no version of the Nexus 7 contains an LTE chip, something that has become somewhat commonplace when it comes to Tegra 3 devices. If Google were to go with Qualcomm, they will have no issues taking the next Nexus 7 into LTE territory, should that be one of their goals.

McConnell states that the new Nexus 7 will ship in Q2 of this year. This matches up to a previous rumor which suggested that Google and Asus would unveil the next-gen tablet at Google I/O in May.

The latest spec chatter pegs the device has having a full HD (1080p) display, smaller bezel, and dropping in at the same $199 and $249 prices we are seeing from the current model.

Thoughts on the lack of a Tegra 4? Qualcomm over NVIDIA, OK with you?

Via: CNET

Analyst Claims New Nexus 7 Will Ditch Tegra Chip in Favor of Qualcomm, Arrives in Q2 of This Year is a post from: Droid Life

Qualcomm CEO: Samsung’s Exynos 5 Octa Nothing More Than a Publicity Stunt

Tim-o-tato — Thu, 17 Jan 2013 19:40:33 +0000

In a recent conference, Qualcomm’s CEO Paul Jacobs was not afraid to let the people know his true feelings for Samsung’s new Exynos 5 Octa processor. In short, it’s a meaningless number. A publicity stunt by Samsung to draw favorable attention their way.

Jacobs states that when the number of cores goes up, the harder they become to manage in terms of temperature and power consumption. Although, the Octa utilizes the big.LITTLE ARM architecture, which is the selling point that power conservation is their main focus. Long story short, Samsung is utilizing this technology to battle the issues Jacobs is referring to.

Going forward, Jacobs stated that the focus should rather be on the end user experience, with better downloads, greater rendering power, and overall better performance from their phones. That is something we as consumers should all be able to get behind.

Via: Sina | Phone Arena

Image credit – Bloomberg

Qualcomm CEO: Samsung’s Exynos 5 Octa Nothing More Than a Publicity Stunt is a post from: Droid Life

Developers – Qualcomm is Giving Away Three Snapdragon S4 Pro Developer Tablets

Kellex — Mon, 14 Jan 2013 23:12:20 +0000

The folks at Qualcomm reached out to us this afternoon to pass along their latest contest. It’s developer-focused, meaning they want to give away three (3) Snapdragon S4 Mobile Development Platform Tablets. As you all know, the Snapdragon S4 Pro is the quad-core beast processor that’s in many of the top phones these days like the Nexus 4 (review) and DROID DNA (review). In this tablet, you’ll find the processor clocked at 1.5GHz, an Adreno 320 GPU, and a world of development at your fingertips.

Here are the instructions for entry:

Enter to win now, by following us on Twitter at @Qualcomm_Dev and tweet using the hashtag #QualcommDevs or Like QDevNet on Facebook and submit an entry form. Good luck!

You can enter to win once per week, through February 1st.

Via: Qualcomm [Rules]

Developers – Qualcomm is Giving Away Three Snapdragon S4 Pro Developer Tablets is a post from: Droid Life

Qualcomm Announces Next-gen 800 and 600 Mobile Processors, Up to 75% Better Performance

Kellex — Tue, 08 Jan 2013 16:42:39 +0000

Only a day after NVIDIA announced its new Tegra 4 processor and impressed the mobile industry, Qualcomm took the stage at the opening keynote of CES to announce their own new line of mobile chipsets. Mobile fans, please welcome in the Snapdragon 800, 600, 400, and 200.

The Snapdragon 800 and 600 are the focus for us, as both are considered high-end for the mobile space. The 800 runs new Krait 400 architecture that can deliver up to 75% better performance over the Snapdragon S4 at 2.3GHz per core. Think about that for a second – it’s 75% better than the processor that is still currently blowing our minds. It also sports a new Adreno 330 GPU which can produce 2x the performance of the S4′s Adreno 320 GPU. Last, the 800 is ultra-efficient when it comes to battery life and supports 4K video recording.

The Snapdragon 600 is also targeted at high-end mobile phones, but sports slightly different specs. It rocks out with new Krait 300 cores at speeds up to 1.9GHz per core, a new speed enhanced Adreno 320 GPU, and delivers up to 40% better performance than current Snapdragon S4 processors at lower power.

The 800 will arrive by mid-2013 after they finish sampling. The 600 should be in commercial devices by Q2 of this year.

Qualcomm Announces Next Generation Snapdragon Premium Mobile Processors

New Snapdragon 800 and 600 Processors Represent a Significant Performance Leap For High-End Mobile Computing Devices

LAS VEGAS – January 07, 2013 – Qualcomm Incorporated (NASDAQ: QCOM) today announced that its wholly owned subsidiary, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc., is sampling the first products in its latest generation of processors. With the introduction of its newest Qualcomm Snapdragon^™ 800 and 600 processors, Qualcomm continues to lead the industry by once again raising the bar on performance per watt and delivering unparalleled user experiences.

The new Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processors target premium mobile and computing devices. They are designed to deliver outstanding overall user experience, expand the possibilities of seamless connected computing and enable brand new mobile experiences while maintaining industry-leading battery performance:

The Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processors will deliver up to 75 percent better performance than the Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro processor and the move to 28nm High Performance for mobile (HPm) technology node ensures exceptionally low power

New Krait 400 CPU in quad configuration, with speeds of up to 2.3 GHz per core offers best-in-class performance per watt, so processor performance can hold up to the more demanding processing and communication requirements of premium mobile devices

Additionally, asynchronous SMP architecture provides dynamic power sensing and control for peak performance per core, while extending battery life without the use of specialized cores

New Adreno 330 GPU delivers more than 2x performance for compute applications over the current Adreno 320 GPU

2x32bit LP-DDR3 at 800MHz with industry-leading memory bandwidth of 12.8GBps

New Hexagon DSP V5 delivers floating point support, dynamic multithreading and expanded multimedia instructions for enhanced low power performance

New IZat™ location technology combines multiple tracking systems into a single high performance, highly accurate navigation platform for auto and pedestrian applications

Seamless communications anytime, anywhere: Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processors offer fully integrated connectivity and a wide variety of communication options.

Third generation 4G LTE modem with data rates up to 150 Mbps (Category 4), fully integrated in the new Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processors

4G LTE Advanced Carrier Aggregation feature to maximize radio frequency bandwidth

World multimode and multi-band support using wafer level package (WTR1605)

Integrated newest generation mobile Wi-Fi connectivity, 802.11ac

Broad connectivity support with integrated USB 3.0, Bluetooth and FM

Breakthrough multimedia experiences: The Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processors also introduce the very latest mobile experiences.

Capture, playback and display in UltraHD video (with four times 1080p pixel density)

Dual Image Signal Processors (ISP) for Qualcomm Snapdragon Camera with support for computational camera

HD multichannel audio with DTS-HD and Dolby Digital Plus for enhanced audio

Higher display resolutions (up to 2560×2048) and Miracast 1080p HD support

The Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processors are currently sampling and expected to be available in commercial devices by mid-year 2013.

The Qualcomm Snapdragon 600 processor targets high-end mobile devices. The Qualcomm Snapdragon 600 processor is designed to deliver great performance, rich graphics and enhanced user experience and will deliver up to 40 percent better performance than the Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro processor at lower power. The new processor offers system-wide architectural improvements, key component upgrades and expanded connectivity options. The Qualcomm Snapdragon 600 processor features a new Krait 300 quad-core CPU with speeds up to 1.9GHz, a new speed enhanced Adreno 320 GPU and support for LPDDR3 memory. The Qualcomm Snapdragon 600 processor is sampling now and is expected to be available in commercial devices by second quarter 2013.

“With the overwhelming success of our previous Qualcomm Snapdragon platforms, our mobile processors have emerged as the platform of choice for high-end mobile devices,” said Steve Mollenkopf, president and chief operating officer of Qualcomm. “With more than 50 design wins already secured with the first products of the Qualcomm Snapdragon 600 and 800 processors, we are advancing our vision and setting the standard for excellence in mobile computing.”

For more information and to see a demonstration of the Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processors, as well as the newest devices powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon processors, please visit Qualcomm during CES 2013(South Hall 3, Upper Level, Booth #30313), Jan. 8-11 in Las Vegas or visit www.qualcomm.com/snapdragon.

About Qualcomm Incorporated

Qualcomm Incorporated (NASDAQ: QCOM) is the world leader in 3G, 4G and next-generation wireless technologies. Qualcomm Incorporated includes Qualcomm’s licensing business, QTL, and the vast majority of its patent portfolio. Qualcomm Technologies, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Qualcomm Incorporated, operates, along with its subsidiaries, substantially all of Qualcomm’s engineering, research and development functions, and substantially all of its products and services businesses, including its semiconductor business, QCT. For more than 25 years, Qualcomm ideas and inventions have driven the evolution of digital communications, linking people everywhere more closely to information, entertainment and each other. For more information, visitQualcomm’s website, OnQ blog, Twitter and Facebook pages.

Except for the historical information contained herein, this news release contains forward-looking statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties, including the Company’s ability to successfully design and have manufactured significant quantities of Qualcomm Snapdragon 600 and Snapdragon 800 processors on a timely and profitable basis, the extent and speed to which the Snapdragon platform is adopted, change in economic conditions of the various markets the Company serves, as well as the other risks detailed from time to time in the Company’s SEC reports, including the report on Form 10-K for the year ended September 30, 2012, and most recent Form 10-Q.

Qualcomm Announces Next-gen 800 and 600 Mobile Processors, Up to 75% Better Performance is a post from: Droid Life

LG Optimus G2 Showing Up at CES With Snapdragon S4 Prime Processor and 1080p Display?

Kellex — Thu, 03 Jan 2013 20:58:35 +0000

LG introduced the Optimus G back in November, but before the paint could even dry, its successor was already being rumored as the Optimus G2. With a 5.5″ 1080p display and new Snapdragon S4 “Prime” processor, the MSM8974 (quad-core with speeds of 2.0 – 2.5GHz), it’s certainly a step up on the spec front. The original rumor for this phone pegged it for a May 2013 release, but famed rumor monger DigiTimes thinks that LG will show it off at CES, next week. This matches up to a report out of GSMArena last week.

The move makes sense for LG, even if they just released the Optimus G and Nexus 4 within the last couple of months. 1080p is going to be the standard in 2013, something we are already seeing evidence from with companies like Huawei and ZTE. Both companies are expected to show off 1080p phones next week, so if LG wants to continue to try to come back in the smartphone industry, they better get a phone ready with the latest and greatest specs. And let’s not forget that HTC already has a 1080p phone out and is planning to launch more, if rumors are true.

The good news is that we’ll know in a matter of days. LG has a CES press event on Monday at 8AM.

Via: DigiTimes | GSMArena

LG Optimus G2 Showing Up at CES With Snapdragon S4 Prime Processor and 1080p Display? is a post from: Droid Life

Thursday Poll: What Processor Is In Your Android Device?

Tim-o-tato — Thu, 20 Dec 2012 18:25:33 +0000

Last night on The Droid Life Show, we briefly touched on mobile processors and the marketing that goes behind them. We discussed that when buying an Android smartphone, sometimes are you not only buying into the Android ecosystem, but you are also buying into that mobile chip’s ecosystem as well.

For example, if you have a NVIDIA Tegra-powered device, the list of games you are able to play is much higher than say a Texas Instrument chip, given that some games released are exclusively for Tegra devices. It’s an interesting move by the manufacturers, but that’s the world we live in where everyone wants to differentiate themselves from the pack.

Down below, feel free to let us know which processor powers your lovely Android device of choice.

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

Thursday Poll: What Processor Is In Your Android Device? is a post from: Droid Life