In a bid to maintain its position as the leading mobile chipset manufacturer, Qualcomm unveiled three new processors, the Snapdragon 653, 626 and 427, to cover the mid-range market segment.
The top tier Qualcomm Snapdragon 653 SoC replaces the 652, which has powered devices that include the Samsung Galaxy A9, the Asus Zenfone 3 Ultra and the HTC 10 Lifestyle. Qualcomm states that the new chipset will have 10 percent improved performance at a maximum clock speed of 1.95 GHz. It now also has bigger addressable memory as well as support for devices with 8 GB of RAM. Notable changes also include the addition of Enhanced Voice Services that allow for better VoLTE call sound quality, which is also offered for the two other chipsets.
The story is the same for the Snapdragon 626, which also got a 10 percent performance boost. While this processor inherited some of its predecessor's specifications such as 8xA53 core configuration, it offers some unique features such as the TruSignal antenna boost technology, which Qualcomm says enables devices to get signal reception in crowded locations. The clock speed also got a major bump from a maximum of 2.0 GHz to 2.2 GHz.
The entry-level Snapdragon 427 probably got the most incremental updates. True, Qualcomm has improved its processing power, but the company is suspiciously mum about the details. The clock speed also stayed the same as well as the 1.4 GHz 4xA53 core design found in the Snapdragon 425. The good news is that the 427 supports Qualcomm's proprietary Clear Sight, a camera technology engineered to mimic attributes of the human eye.
The Snapdragon 653, 626 and 427 will all ship with the new X9 LTE modem, which significantly increases the uplink and downlink capability of smartphones. The chipsets will also support dual camera through the previously mentioned Clear Sight support feature. All chips are compatible with Quick Charge 3.0 as well as the Enhanced Voice Services technology.
Based on the specifications of the Snapdragon 653, 626 and 427 chipsets, we now have clear insights as to the capabilities of smartphones that will be rolling out next year. The support for Quick Charge and Clear sight, for example, could mean that we can also expect low-end devices to sport fast charging and dual camera features. The chipsets could also ensure that it will be easy to find accessories for these devices. All these are highlighted by the fact that Qualcomm will begin producing the Snapdragon 653 and 626 by the end of 2016, while the Snapdragon 427 is scheduled for an early 2017 release.
