Qualcomm’s annual tech summit kicked off today and the biggest announcement is the launch of the Snapdragon 888 Mobile Platform. The new processor will power the flagships of 2021 from a host of manufacturers including Xiaomi, Samsung, LG, and Sony.
The Snapdragon 888 is a 5nm processor and unlike Qualcomm’s previous 800 series 5G processors, this one comes with an integrated modem, the 3rd generation 5nm Snapdragon X60 5G. Qualcomm says that the new modem brings 5G global compatibility for mmWave and sub-6 bands across the globe. It also supports global multi-SIM, SA and NSA networks, and Dynamic Spectrum Sharing.
The flagship processor also comes with the new 6th-gen AI Engine. The hexagon processor brings a considerable leap in AI performance, 26 tera operations per second (TOPS) compared to the last generation. It also comes with a 2nd generation Qualcomm Sensing Hub which “incorporates low-power always-on AI processing for intuitive intelligent features.”
The Snapdragon 888 also brings improvements in computational photography. It has a new Spectra ISP with gigapixel speed that can capture photos and videos at 2.7 gigapixels per second or roughly 120 photos at 12MP. This is said to be up to 35% faster than the previous generation.
The full spec sheet of the Snapdragon 888 should be revealed at tomorrow’s event. However, the press release does mention that the following manufacturers provided support for the Snapdragon 888:
While Qualcomm didn’t specifically say, all of the aforementioned manufacturers should announce phones powered by the Snapdragon 888 in the coming year.
