Qualcomm’s latest mobile chip aims to bring 5G connectivity to the masses by targeting the sub-$100 smartphone segment. The chip also boasts support for fast 40-watt wired charging and gaming capabilities.
According to Qualcomm, the Snapdragon 4 Gen 2 platform, announced on July 30, will begin rolling out later this year on a Xiaomi device.
” With this new platform, we will see Gigabit 5G smartphones priced below $99 ,” said Carina Affinito, Qualcomm’s product marketing director, in a statement.
The Snapdragon 4 Gen 2 chip will bring 5G to the most affordable smartphone segment. (Image: Qualcomm)
Similar to other S-series chips offered by Qualcomm, the Snapdragon 4 Gen 2 targets phones with slightly lower specifications than last year’s Snapdragon 4 Gen 2 processor. There’s no guarantee that US phone manufacturers will use this chip, although Qualcomm’s previous-generation Snapdragon 4 Gen 1 processor, in the same segment, appeared in the Moto G 5G, a $200 smartphone by Motorola.
As Qualcomm does not release new versions of its entry-level chips annually, the 4 Gen 2 could be a game-changer, allowing manufacturers to offer more features in the budget phone segment.
Currently, Samsung and TCL use MediaTek chips in their sub-$200 5G smartphones, such as the Galaxy A15 5G. TCL’s 50-series 5G phones are even more affordable, ranging from $100 for the TCL 50 XE 5G to $160 for the TCL 50 XL 5G, but they are often limited to a single carrier.
The Snapdragon 4 Gen 2 chipset could spice up the competition in the budget smartphone segment and bring premium features like 5G and fast charging to the masses.
