While Qualcomm is usually known for its mobile chipsets, the company has also made significant advancements with other forms of wireless connectivity technologies. More recently, Qualcomm unveiled its Snapdragon X35 5G Modem-RF System, which the company boasts as the world’s first 5G NR-Light modem-RF system.
According to Qualcomm, the X35 will be able to run on a variety of smart devices and accessories such as premium smartwatches, next-generation XR glasses, industrial IoT, and more.
Simply put, NR-Light is a new class of 5G and bridges the gap in between high-speed mobile broadband devices and low-bandwidth NB-IoT devices. Qualcomm says that NR-Light devices that are powered by Snapdragon X35 can be smaller, cost less, and provide better power efficiency versus more traditional mobile broadband devices.
The Snapdragon X35 features improved performance and design to provide a device platform that can both be easily accessible for mid-tier use cases, as well as serve the needs of devices which rely on efficient 5G speeds. A lower cost option, the X35 provides device makers with a means to eventually replace LTE CAT4+ devices, push forward 5G adoption, and allow for faster transition to a unified 5G network.
With that said however, the X35 is also backwards-compatible and will be able to support for both LTE and 5G NR-Light configurations.
Alongside the Snapdragon X35, Qualcomm also announced Snapdragon X32 5G Modem-RF System, which the company describes as a “modem-to-antenna solution built to lower complexity and fuel cost-efficient NR-Light devices.” According to a statement from Durga Malladi, Senior vice president and general manager of cellular modems and infrastructure at Qualcomm:
“Snapdragon X35 brings together key 5G breakthroughs expected from the world’s leading
wireless innovator. The world’s first 5G NR-Light modem features a cost-effective, streamlined design with leading power efficiency, optimized thermal, and reduced footprint. Snapdragon X35 is poised to power the next wave of connected intelligent edge devices and empower a wide spectrum of uses. We look forward to working with industry leaders to unleash what’s possible with a unified 5G platform.”
The X35 also comes with a suite of capabilities (including advanced modem-RF technologies) which Qualcomm assures is aimed to significantly reduce power consumption, enhance 5G coverage, lower latency, increase battery life, and improve uplink speeds. These include Qualcomm’s QET5100 Envelope Tracking, Smart TransmitTM Technology, 5G Ultra-Low Latency Suite, and 5G PowerSave Gen 4.
In other Qualcomm-related news, the company also recently announced that its Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip will power Samsung’s new devices, which include the Samsung Galaxy S23, S23 Ultra, and S23 Plus. This hardware configuration will be available to all markets, a significant change from Samsung’s usual practice of keeping Snapdragon-powered Galaxy S devices exclusive to markets like the United States.
As for the X35 and X32, Customer sampling of Snapdragon X35 and X32 are expected to begin in the first half of 2023, while commercial mobile devices are expected to be launched by the first half of 2024.
