Qualcomm has huge plans in the smartphone market

(Pocket-lint) – Qualcomm has long been a champion of the smartphone processor market. For years, its platforms have been used by practically every smartphone manufacturer. That’s true whether you’re looking at the low end of the market or the ultimate-premium tier. Over the past few years, it’s also been investing heavily in other areas too, applying that knowledge and expertise.

So what exactly does the roadmap look like for Qualcomm this year, and how can the company use its knowledge in other areas? We caught up with Enrico Salvatori – Senior Vice President and President of Qualcomm Europe, Inc. – to hear his take on what the most significant trends are this year.

A key part of Qualcomm’s strategy over the next few years is something it refers to as a ‘Digital Transformation’ taking place in many industry sectors. This entails connecting a multitude of smart-internet connected devices to the cloud through 5G, but also giving them the ability to process, learn and make decisions locally, on-device, making them smarter than ever.

In fact, it’s an area where Qualcomm has a massive presence and is heavily involved in, even if you’ve never been aware of it personally.

But while this is an important part of its strategy, your smartphone is obviously a core investment and Enrico explained to us what it is that sets the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 mobile platform apart from the competition.

It’s much more than just a processor for making your phone fast. It’s a platform that enables fast wireless connectivity via 5G and Wi-Fi 6. Plus as Enrico explains, there are improvements in AI and in video and graphics support too.

Qualcomm Technologies’ expertise in smartphone platforms and the increasing capability of those processors has led the company to also power other portable devices, namely laptops. And having its Snapdragon processors inside Windows machines actually opens up real benefits.

Other benefits include 5G connectivity, and with that the ability to stay connected wherever you are. And all in a device that can go for hours and hours on a single charge. Qualcomm Technologies showed off both Windows and Chrome-OS powered devices recently at MWC in Barcelona.

And that vision of having wire-free connectivity and devices connected to 5G is just part of what Qualcomm is attempting with its Digital Transformation. But while laptops and smartphones are traditionally digital devices to their core, Qualcomm’s working on new technologies that’ll bring the digital into arenas like factories, engineering and construction site through mixed reality headsets that could help people get their jobs done in a way that hasn’t been possible in the past.

When you put all these different devices and categories together in a big picture view, you see how Qualcomm really is involved in pretty much everything digital. And that’s without mentioning the digital chassis in modern cars.

In short, Qualcomm is a big reason your favourite car, phone or laptop manufacturer is able to advance and modernise as we push into a wire-free, smart, connected future.

_{Snapdragon is a product of Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. and/or its subsidiaries.}