Qualcomm’s Upcoming Snapdragon 830 Chip Capable Of Download Speeds Of Up To 1 Gbps

During the 4G/5G Summit held in Hong Kong, Qualcomm announced that its upcoming processor, the Snapdragon 830 chip, will be equipped with the chip maker’s X16 LTE modem, which will let mobile devices achieve download speeds of up to 1 gbps. The company did, however, qualify that to date, only a little more than two thirds of mobile operators across the globe can implement such download speeds. Then of course, there is the issue of data caps -- what is the use of having ultra fast download speeds when all it does is let the mobile user go beyond his data allowance on any given month. 

For now, Qualcomm has not released any details yet regarding the availability of the Snapdragon 830 chip, and which mobile devices will sport the processor. But based on past releases, the company typically launches a new flagship chip each year, which means we can probably expect the Snapdragon 830 to start appearing in handsets by next year.

Apart from making an announcement regarding the upcoming Snapdragon 830, Qualcomm also took the opportunity to formally introduce the Snapdragon X50 modem. The Snapdragon X50 is considered the first ever 5G wireless processor in the world, and is initially targeted to be used in both smartphone devices and other connected devices in wireless networks set up in home settings. According to Qualcomm, the Snapdragon X50 should already feature in devices in early 2018.

The Snapdragon X50 may be helping pave the way for 5G tech, but users must beware that it is designed to only connect to 5G networks. This means that if users want to use the modem to connect to a 4G network or even a 3G network, they will have to get a second wireless chip. Still, Qualcomm is hoping that manufacturers of mobile devices will decide to pair the Snapdragon X50 with the company’s Snapdragon line of chips that is capable of seamlessly integrating the processing powers of any given handset with the mobile connectivity. Some of the biggest Android phone makers like LG and HTC make full use of Qualcomm’s Snapdragon processors, but Apple notably does not with its iPhone devices.

Apart from officially unveiling the Snapdragon X50 modem, Qualcomm also revealed that Telstra, a mobile operator based in Australia, will be deploying a gigabit class LTE network before the end of this year, while Netgear is also launching a hotspot that is capable of reaching LTE speeds of up to 1 gbps. As more and more mobile operators upgrade their networks next year, more handsets should be able to handle faster speeds in 2017.