Qualcomm Announces New Snapdragon Chipsets

Platform developer Qualcomm has announced a new wave of updates in the nascent Snapdragon lineup of high-performance chipsets that combine a high-speed application processor with an integrated graphics processor and single-chip Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS, and 3G radio integration for use in high-end smart devices and MID-type devices.

The QSD8650A chipset, scheduled for sampling before the end of 2009 increases clockspeed to 1.3 GHz for 30 percent higher performance from the 1.0 Ghz version currently in use. A new 45nm manufacturing process allows for 30 percent lower power consumption than previous generation Snapdragon chipsets with an even lower standby power draw of less than 10 millwatts compared to the aforementioned first generation chipset.

The QSD8650A will also integrate MediaFLO, DVB-H, and ISDB-T tuners for integrated packaging depending on market and carrier choice, with the dual-core QSD8672 chipset being capable of up to 1.5 GHz per core. No North American carrier has confirmed Snapdragon-based products at this time, with the only current Snapdragon device being the Europe and Japan-only Toshiba TG01.