Qualcomm’s latest chip aims to make 5G connectivity a standard feature in some of the market’s most affordable phones. This new chip supports fast 40-watt wired charging and gaming capabilities for phones priced under $100.
The Snapdragon 4S Gen 2 platform, announced on Tuesday, is designed for lower-end phones. Qualcomm expects these phones to start appearing later this year, beginning with a device from Xiaomi.
“With this new platform, the result is gigabit 5G smartphones for under $99,” said Carina Affinito, Qualcomm’s staff manager of Product Marketing, in a prebrief statement.
Similar to other S chips from Qualcomm, the Snapdragon 4S Gen 2 is intended for phones slightly below the tier of last year’s Snapdragon 4 Gen 2 processor. There is no assurance that US phone manufacturers will adopt this processor, though Qualcomm’s earlier Snapdragon 4 Gen 1 processor is used in Motorola’s $200 Moto G 5G. Since Qualcomm does not update its less powerful chips annually, the 4S Gen 2 provides phone makers with a new option featuring updated capabilities for lower-cost devices.
Meanwhile, Samsung and TCL often use rival MediaTek’s processors in their 5G phones priced under $200. Examples include the $200 Galaxy A15 5G and TCL’s 50 series, which ranges from $100 for the TCL 50 XE 5G to $160 for the TCL 50 XL 5G, though these phones are often locked to a single US carrier at the lower price points.
Despite the growing availability of affordable 5G phones, many phones costing $150 or less released in 2024 still lack 5G connectivity. The introduction of chipsets like the 4S Gen 2 could help make 5G more widespread, offering even budget-conscious consumers access to fast speeds and the large bandwidth of 5G networks.
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