Qualcomm has announced Snapdragon X55, touting it as its "second-generation 5G solution."
This new modem is coming hot on the heels of the Snapdragon X50, which the company highlighted at its Snapdragon Tech Summit in December in Maui, Hawaii. While there's still no commercially available product that comes with it, its successor is already being unveiled.
Second 5G Wave Planned Out
As reported by Engadget, the Snapdragon X55 features support for "all major frequency bands," millimeter wave (mmWave) or sub-6 Ghz. Different modes of operation and network deployments are also supported. In other words, it's ready when it comes to 5G innovations in the foreseeable future.
Regarding speed, it's capable of reaching up to 7 Gbps for downloads and 3 Gbps for uploads. Presumably, those measurements are under optimal conditions.
In a press release, Qualcomm explains in detail the ins and outs of the new modem. Notably, it mentions that it boasts 24 spatial streams, 4x4 MIMO, and 1024-QAM.
Additionally, it's also debuting the company's proprietary Envelope Tracking and Adaptive Antenna Tuning technologies, allowing not only enhanced network coverage and data speeds but also improved battery life. Put differently, sleeker handsets are likely on the horizon.
Pioneering 5G
Qualcomm has already sent samples of the Snapdragon X55 to manufacturers, and products housing the modem is expected to start shipping out in "late 2019."
"Qualcomm Technologies is spearheading the first wave of 5G launches with our first generation 5G mobile platform. With significant evolution in capabilities and performance, our second generation commercial 5G modem is a true testament to the maturity and leadership of our 5G technology," Cristiano Amon, president of Qualcomm, says in a press release.
The first batch of 5G-capable smartphones will be equipped with the Snapdragon X50, which comprises an upcoming OnePlus device, a foldable phone from Huawei, and a variant of the Galaxy S10, which is said to be an exclusive to Verizon at first. Meanwhile, the second set of handsets will house the Snapdragon X55.
To boil things down, Qualcomm is paving the way for the 5G era, and it's far from the kind AT&T has in mind with its "5GE."
