Qualcomm has provided some new details on its upcoming top shelf mobile chip, the Snapdragon 820. The processor, which is expected to appear in flagship phones in 2016, will have improved fast charging tech and the speediest LTE yet.
Qualcomm has integrated an upgraded X12 LTE modem into the processor, providing LTE Advanced Category 12 in the downlink and Category 13 in the uplink. This is the first time we've seen a mobile processor with the tech onboard, providing download speeds of up to 600 Mbps and 150 Mbps upload. According to Qualcomm, that's fast enough to stream 4K video both up and down at the same time, with plenty of bandwidth to spare.
There's also 802.11ad WiFi on board, which you're unlikely to make much use of right now, but which is great for future proofing.
The 64-bit processor will also bring improvements to the time it takes to juice up mobile devices. Charging is one area where we're seeing a lot of development in the mobile space. It's been a big area of focus for Samsung recently, with the Galaxy Note 5 and edge+ including fast wireless charging, and it's something that Intel has been working on with its upcoming magnetic resonance technology.
It's no surprise that it's also a top priority for Qualcomm, with the company integrating its new (wired) Quick Charge 3.0 solution right into the chip, allowing users to charge a typical smartphone battery from dead to 80 percent in just 35 minutes. Charge times of the current Quick Charge 2.0 tech vary from phone to phone, but last year's Galaxy Note 4, for example, got to 50 percent in around 35 minutes.
The secret with Quick Charge 3 is in a new algorithm designed to let mobile devices work out exactly how much power they require to optimize the process. According to Qualcomm, the new tech results in up to 45 percent less power lost during transfer when compared to Quick Charge 2. Thermal performance is also improved, meaning devices shouldn't get too hot during charging.
You can expect to the see the Snapdragon 820 in plenty of high-end devices in 2016. For more on the upcoming chip's LTE abilities, you can check out the video below.
Source: Qualcomm
