Qualcomm has launched the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 as its next flagship smartphone processor. Qualcomm claims that it has crammed additional AI smarts onto the new platform in addition to making it more powerful and efficient than Gen 1 processors.
According to the business, the Snapdragon 8 will use the newest Qualcomm AI Engine and enhanced Hexagon CPU to provide “faster natural language processing with multi-language translation and superior AI photography functions.” According to Qualcomm, the processor’s architecture enhancements would allow up to 4.35 times the AI performance of Gen 1 CPUs. There will be support for an AI precision format dubbed Int4, which the firm claims will result in a 60% performance/watt boost over the previous-generation chipset for long-term AI inference. Meanwhile, the Sensing Hub will contain twin AI processors that will enable capabilities like bespoke wake phrases.
According to Qualcomm, the enhancements will allow new camera-focused functions. According to Qualcomm, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 will use semantic segmentation to automatically and in real-time improve pictures and videos. This uses an AI neural network to make the camera aware of and optimise aspects like faces, hair, clothing, and sky. Qualcomm has optimized the chipset to handle new sensors like Samsung’s 200-megapixel Isocell HP3. Meanwhile, this is the first Snapdragon model to have an AV1 codec capable of 8K HDR playback at up to 60 frames per second.
For mobile gamers, Qualcomm claims there will be real-time hardware-accelerated ray tracing, which should boost graphics in compatible titles. According to the business, the newest Adreno GPU and Kyro CPU give approximately 25% quicker performance and 40% higher power efficiency than the Gen 1 processor. Qualcomm also claims to be the first company to provide mobile-optimized support for the Unreal Engine 5 Metahumans Framework, allowing players to “experience lifelike human characters in their games.”
The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 will employ AI to control 5G download rates, latency, coverage, and battery economy. Dual 5G SIM cards and WiFi 7 will be supported (with speeds of up to 5.8 Gbps). Phones that employ the chipset will be able to provide spatial audio with dynamic head tracking, 48kHz lossless music streaming, and latency as low as 48ms.
According to Qualcomm, the first phones equipped with the Gen 2 processor should be available by the end of the year. ASUS Republic of Gamers, Honor, Motorola, OnePlus, Oppo, Sharp, Sony, Xiaomi, and ZTE are among the partners that want to utilise the processor in their smartphones. Qualcomm is expected to provide additional information in the coming days, since the firm is conducting its Snapdragon Summit this week.
