While 5G has gained popularity in the industry, commercial use is still not widespread. In fact, few countries have 100,000+ 5G subscribers with South Korea being on the top of the list with over 1 million users. But it is evident that most phones that are 5G capable as per now come with a big price tag – even more expensive than their 4G variants.
However, this is about to change by next year. Qualcomm, the US chipmaker, has announced plans to bring 5G integrated chipsets in its mid-range 6 and 7 series. The move will bolster the company’s 5G presence in the mid-range and lower mid-range smartphones.
“We are uniquely positioned to accelerate 5G commercialization to scale globally with our OEM and operator customers with expanded mobile platform offerings across our Snapdragon 8 Series, 7 Series and 6 Series in 2020,” said Alex Katouzian, senior vice president and general manager, mobile, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc.
Qualcomm’s 5G SoCs will support both 5G bands, including mmWave and sub-6 GHz spectrum, which makes the chips applicable in all key regions globally.
The company says major smartphone makers including OPPO, realme, Redmi, Vivo, Motorola, HMD Global, and LG Electronics plan to incorporate the new integrated Snapdragon 7 Series 5G mobile platform in their future 5G mobile devices.
Snapdragon 7 Series is planned to be ready by the end of the year and will be used in smartphones immediately after.
As for the Snapdragon 6 Series, devices with the chipset will be available on the market in the second half of 2020.