JANUARY 2020 PCWorld 9range, Katzouian said.)
So far, only the 765 and
the 765G have an
integrated modem. In
the 865, the X55 modem
remains as a discrete
chip. Why should you
care? Because
integration usually means
better battery life for your
phone.
While Qualcomm
executives had previously
indicated that they had let the X55 remain as a
discrete processor because of the ability to
combine it with multiple platforms, Amon went
further to say that integrating it too early risked
a reduction in the modem’s performance. That
occurred with a Chinese competitor Amon
declined to name.
As for when customers could expect a
Snapdragon 800-series chip with an
integrated 5G modem, Amon deferred, only
saying to make sure to attend next year’s
Snapdragon conference. That’s a long wait,
but Katzouian said that Qualcomm’s
Snapdragon 6-series chips—another step
down the performance food chain—would
receive 5G modem integration in the second
half of 2020.
Qualcomm is expected to dive into the
deeper details of the Snapdragon 865,
along with the 765 and gaming-focused
765G.Amon said. One carrier is also already on
board. Kevin Peterson, senior vice president
of AT&T Mobility, said in an interview that in
2020 AT&T plans to have a “full complement”
of what he called “dual mode” devices that
can access millimeter wave and sub-6GHz
networks, about 15 in all.
So it sounds like if you want a future-
proofed phone that can support “both” 5G
technologies, early 2020 will be the time to
buy—not this holiday season.
CLEARING UP MORE
MODEM MYSTERIES
Qualcomm formally announced the next-gen
Snapdragon part, the Snapdragon 865 (go.
pcworld.com/s865), as well as the slightly
less powerful Snapdragon 765 and 765G.
(The 865 is for flagship phones that can cost
upwards of $1,000, while the target market
for the 7-series chips is the $450 to $
Cristiano Amon, Qualcomm’s president, on stage at the Qualcomm
Snapdragon Technology Summit.