Qualcomm has only released one variant of the Snapdragon 888, but according to a tipster, the San Diego chipmaker might be looking to release another version that will make Android flagships less expensive. SO what is the catch? This version will reportedly not have an integrated 5G modem.
Lack of an Integrated 5G Modem on the Snapdragon 888 Will Reduce Supply Prices for Qualcomm’s Partners
Fresh information from WinFuture’s Roland Quandt talks about Qualcomm’s plans to release a new Snapdragon 888 SoC with the designation number SM8325. For those that do not know, the original Snapdragon 888 is identified using the SM8350 number, and there is also a chance Qualcomm is working on a more powerful Snapdragon 888 Plus, as indicated by the Lahaina+ codename.
While we are excited for the arrival of a more powerful silicon from Qualcomm, let us focus on the less expensive Snapdragon 888 first. Apparently, it will arrive without an integrated 5G modem, which should reduce the price of the entire SoC package for Qualcomm’s partners. Without an integrated modem, phone manufacturers will not be required to add components like mmWave antennas at specific areas of the smartphone, which would otherwise increase costs for the device manufacturer.
Qualcomm has a lower end derivate of the Snapdragon 888 (SM8350) in the works. SM8325 is the model number and there seems to be NO integrated 5G modem on this one. #CheapFlagshipPhones
— Roland Quandt (@rquandt) March 8, 2021
Such companies are also required to spend extra resources designing these phones in a manner that optimizes cooling so both and chipset and 5G modem can operate at optimum levels. Our guess is that the non-5G version of the Snapdragon 888 will be used in phones sold in regions where 5G rollout is yet to occur or is not deploying at a rapid pace. This Snapdragon 888 will still be able to connect to LTE networks, but users will not experience that next-level bandwidth that 5G delivers.
Fortunately, LTE’s wide coverage means that reliability is something users will never have to worry about, unlike mmWave networks. Sadly, Quandt did not reveal exact specifications of the non-5G Snapdragon 888 version, nor has he mentioned in his tweet on when to expect it. Since there are several months remaining for the year to end, perhaps we should keep our fingers crossed for the release to happen in the second half. As always, we will keep you updated, so stay tuned.
The post Qualcomm Working on a Snapdragon 888 With No Integrated 5G to Make Way for Less Expensive Android Flagships by Omar Sohail appeared first on Wccftech.
source https://wccftech.com/cheaper-snapdragon-888-for-less-expensive-flagships/