Qualcomm unveiled its next generation of mobile chipsets and processors at Mobile World Congress, in Barcelona. The company today announced its next mobile processor architecture for the Snapdragon family, as well as an improved LTE/HSPA+ Gobi chipset.
The new processor micro-architecture, code-named Krait, in the next-generation Snapdragon family will offer speeds of up to 2.5 GHz per core, with 150 percent higher overall performance, as well as 65 percent lower power than currently available ARM-based CPU cores, according to Qualcomm. The new chipsets will be available in single-, dual- and quad-core versions and include a new Adreno GPU series with up to four 3D cores, and integrated multi-mode LTE modem.
The latest family of Snapdragon chipsets will include the single-core MSM8930, the dual-core MSM8960 and the quad-core APQ8064. All chipsets in the family will integrate a quad-combo of connectivity solutions (WiFi, GPS, Bluetooth and FM) and include support for near field communication (NFC), as well as stereoscopic 3D (S3D) video and photo capture and playback.
The processors will be supported across every major operating system, across all tiers of products.
“Just as the original Snapdragon revolutionized smartphones with the first 1GHz processor, these new generations of Snapdragon will revolutionize the next wave of mobile entertainment and computing,” said Steve Mollenkopf, executive vice president and group president for Qualcomm, in a statement.
Qualcomm today also announced the next-generation embedded Gobi3000 module, successor to the Gobi2000. The company says the Gobi3000 is intended to deliver improved performance by doubling the HSPA downlink speed and enhancing the Gobi API functionality for enterprise applications.
According to a press release, the new design will allow Qualcomm’s customers to offer both single-mode (UMTS) and multi-mode designs (CDMA/UMTS).
The Gobi3000 reference design is based on Qualcomm’s MDM6200 and MDM6600 chipsets, both of which can provide support for HSPA+ data rates of up to 14.4 Mbps. The MDM6600 also supports CDMA2000 1xEV-DO Rev. A and Rev. B.
Gobi3000-based modules, along with enhanced system integration and differentiated software solutions, are now available from Huawei, Novatel Wireless, Option, Sierra Wireless and ZTE.
Qualcomm will be showing off its new Snapdragon processors at GSMA Mobile World Congress 2010 (Booth 8B53, Hall 8), Feb. 14-17 in Barcelona.