Latest Qualcomm release comes amid reported Intel reorg of mobile chip business
Continue to advances its Snapdragon 820 line of mobile chips, Qualcomm today announced the Snapdrago 821, which delivers more processing power and battery efficiency than its predecessor, the Snapdragon 820, which is used in high-end smartphones like the Samsung Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge, and the Sony Xperia X.
Compared to the previous generation, the new chip offers a 10% increase in performance reaching speeds up to 2.4GHz using a Kryo quad-core CPU. The latest model does use the same X12 LTE modem as the 820, which can also support up to 600 Mbps download throughput.
According to Computerworld, the Snapdragon 821 will “be better equipped” to support mobile virtual reality applications, and will be able to process and display 4K video on compatible mobile devices.
Competitor Intel, meanwhile, seems to be pivoting away from some of its current mobile chips, specifically killing some of its line of Atom processors, which were a money-losing endeavor for the company, according to Fortune.
An Intel spokeswoman told the publication, “We are committed to long-term leadership and improved profitability of our mobile business and the decision to cancel Broxton for phones and tablets and SoFIA 3Gx/LTE/LTE2 enable us to move resources to products that deliver higher returns and advance our strategy. Our connectivity strategy includes increased investment in wired and wireless communications technology for connecting all things, devices and people to the cloud, and to power the communications infrastructure behind it.”
