Qualcomm, the biggest chip manufacturer in the world of smartphones, has unveiled its latest player in the game- the Snapdragon 888 platform. In its annual summit, the chipmaker introduced the new System-on-Chip (SoC), although some key information of the next chip has been saved for the later virtual event.
Qualcomm president Cristiano Amon said, “Creating premium experiences takes a relentless focus on innovation. It takes long-term commitment, even in the face of immense uncertainty. It takes an organization that’s focused on tomorrow, to continue to deliver the technologies that redefine premium experiences.”
Qualcomm has skipped the Snapdragon 875 series. According to an article by TechCrunch, Qualcomm said that the number 8 has always been special for the company, and for a decade it has represented premium. It also considers the number 8 to be lucky. They informed that for some the number signifies infinity, success, or inner wisdom, while for others it symbolizes luck. In India, the number stands for Ashtha, Asta, or Ashta in Sanskrit, and in China, the number 888 is a number that represents triple luck. This is why the company has chosen this number to debut its latest innovation, which will power the next-generation mobile experiences.
As 5G is expanding globally, the company with their chipset wants to deliver those 5G experiences to more consumers worldwide.
The completely redesigned chipset will come with the company’s third-gen X60 5G modem, which sports both sub-6 and mmWave 5G bands. The company also claims that there is a 6th-gen AI Engine, capable of performing 26 tera operations per second (TOPS) with improved power efficiency. The 888 SoC would also deliver 35% faster ISP, with support for up to 2.7 gigapixels per second (~120 12-megapixel photos). The gaming performance is also supposed to be improved as it will also provide an update to its Elite Gaming Platform.
Moreover, it is also expected that the new chip would deliver an upgraded photography experience, with an all-new Qualcomm Spectra ISP.
“Snapdragon 888 will triple down on the future of computational photography and transform smartphones into professional quality cameras. With the faster gigapixel speed Qualcomm Spectra™ ISP, users can capture photos and videos at 2.7 gigapixels per second or roughly 120 photos at 12MP resolution—up to 35% faster than the previous generation,” the company said in its blog post.
Mobile phone manufacturers like Asus, Black Shark, LG, Lenovo, Meizu, Motorola, Nubia, OnePlus, Oppo, Realme, Sharp, Vivo, Xiaomi, and ZTE are expected to bring devices based on the 888 chipsets next year. Mi 11 will be one of the first devices to come with the latest SoC, Xiaomi co-founder and CEO Lei Jun confirmed during the keynote.
