Qualcomm has teased early details about its forthcoming 5G mobile platform, staying coy on detail but vowing it will transform industries, inspire new business models and power next generation devices.
The platform will include system-on-chip built on its 7nm process node, which can be paired with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X50 5G modem.
Sampling of the platform has already begun with Qualcomm reiterating its timeline for the first 5G services to launch commercially in late 2018 and throughout 2019.
It said in a statement: “This flagship mobile platform with 5G is designed to enable premium connected devices that bring new intuitive experiences and interactions with power-efficient on-device AI, superior battery life, and performance while extending globally to innovative technologies, solutions, experiences and applications in automotive and IoT.”
Cristiano Amon, President of Qualcomm Incorporated, added: “We are very pleased to be working with OEMs, operators, infrastructure vendors, and standards bodies across the world, and are on track to help launch the first 5G mobile hotspots by the end of 2018, and smartphones using our next-generation mobile platform in the first half of 2019.”Â
Last month Qualcomm began sampling its 5G New Radio and sub-6GHz RF modules among manufacturers, which it said answered challenges regarding range and quality of radio signals and coverage of densely populated areas.
TIM and MTS have been among the operators using the X50 modem for their own 5G trials and research. In May, the Italian operator demonstrated how consumers could stream video onto a test device.