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Qualcomm, one of the leading manufacturers of smartphone chips powering up Android smartphones, is introducing the next version of its mid-range performer, the Snapdragon 7s Gen 3. Like its high-end sister chip, the 7-series includes more support for on-device AI processing, updated graphics processing, and improved camera and audio performance. The first device expected to ship with the new chip will debut overseas.
As generative AI becomes more of a thing to lure smartphone users, Qualcomm is focusing its efforts on spotlighting how its chips are keeping up. The Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 is part of the “s” segment of releases, which features a bit of oomph in its performance. Qualcomm promises nearly 20% improvement in CPU performance from the last generation and up to 30% better AI processing. It’s undoubtedly helped by its on-device support of oft-used large language models. The LLMs mentioned in Qualcomm’s press release include Baichuan-7B, the Chinese competitor to OpenAI’s GPT models, which is likely why Xiaomi will be the first manufacturer to debut the chip overseas. Xiaomi is among the top five smartphone vendors in China and related markets. The Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 will also support Meta’s LlaMa 2 on-device, which will be helpful for AI features within the company’s social apps and third-party apps like Zoom, which use it for in-app tools like transcriptions.
The Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 promises improved graphics processing through the new Adreno GPU, which boasts a whopping 40% performance improvement. It supports the new Vulkan 1.3 API and widescreen full HD displays with up to 144Hz refresh rate. Smartphones with cameras at this price point can be outfitted with up to 200 MP sensors and manage up to 4K HDR video capture.
Most smartphones equipped with Qualcomm’s new Snapdragon hardware will be priced between $200 and $500. This will bode well for getting AI into the hands of more users globally. In the U.S., phones at this price are offered for free or with a subsidy on most carriers and MVNOs. It will be interesting to see whether Samsung, one of the brands expected to adopt the chip, will infuse any of its Galaxy AI into the lower-end market. Either way, this industry has gone all in on AI-in-everything and won’t be limited to the priciest phones.
As I mentioned, Xiaomi will be the first smartphone manufacturer to debut the Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 on its next big release next month. Samsung and Realme, another brand performing well overseas, will follow up with phone releases containing the new chip.
