Qualcomm Trials Production of Snapdragon 845

Qualcomm and its partner Samsung have reportedly begun work on the Snapdragon 845 chipset. The new processor is set to debut in the forthcoming Samsung Galaxy S9. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) has begun trial production of the 845 using the 7nm process. The 845 is expected to boast higher performance and lower power consumption than the Snapdragon 835 processor currently used in this year’s Samsung Galaxy S8 (pictured below).

“Samsung Electronics and its chip partner Qualcomm have already started working on a new mobile chip for its next flagship smartphone, dubbed the Galaxy S9, according to Aju Business Daily,” The Investor reports. “The report said the new chip is highly likely to be named Snapdragon 845. Once the development is complete, either Samsung or Taiwan’s TSMC will start manufacturing the chip.”

Snapdragon 845 Performance

The 845 is expected to feature more than just improved efficiency and performance. Enhancements in the chipset’s video recording and playback – including virtual and augmented reality features – are expected. Qualcomm hopes the new Snapdragon processor will also be more secure than previous chips.

“The capabilities of a mobile processor can decide the overall performance of smartphones which now have a range of features such as video calls, video recording, VR, and AR,” an industry source told The Investor. “The competition to secure advanced mobile chips will intensify down the road.”

Breaking the Annual Upgrade Cycle?

In testing the 845 now, Qualcomm and Samsung seem eager to get a step up against its competitors. If the 845 enters full production before the end of 2017, it will break Qualcomm’s annual upgrade cycle. The Snapdragon 835, released earlier this year, was criticised for its lacklustre floating point performance.