Qualcomm Inc. today introduced the Snapdragon X75, a new 5G modem chip that will likely power the next generation of flagship smartphones.

Qualcomm is a major supplier of networking chips to the mobile industry. Its 5G modems can be found in Apple Inc.’s iPhones, as well as flagship Android handsets such as the Galaxy S23 series that Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. debuted this month. The company’s modems are also increasingly finding use in other systems such as smart cars. 

Last year, Qualcomm introduced what it described as the industry’s first 5G chip to include an onboard artificial intelligence processor. The processor runs AI algorithms that can automatically optimize a handset’s connection speed and reduce the risk of internet outages. 

The new Snapdragon X75 modem that debuted today features an enhanced version of the technology. According to Qualcomm, the onboard AI processor is more than 2.5 faster than the one it debuted last year. The company has also enhanced the algorithms that run on the processor: They now take into account sensory data from a user’s handset when calculating how to best optimize 5G connections.

Mobile modems use compact antennas to send and receive 5G signals. With the Snapdragon X75, Qualcomm is introducing a streamlined antenna design that it says will help reduce hardware costs and power consumption. The company has also made software optimizations that it says will improve internet coverage at locations such as airports.

According to Qualcomm, the Snapdragon X75 is designed to work with a future version of the 5G standard called 5G Advanced. The technology, which is expected to roll out in the coming years, will help increase data upload speeds and reduce the risk of internet outages. It will facilitate those improvements partly by using artificial intelligence to optimize carriers’ networking infrastructure.

The Snapdragon X75 also supports the recently detailed Qualcomm Satellite technology. According to the chipmaker, the technology will enable handsets to connect to internet satellite constellations.

“Snapdragon X75 Modem-RF System demonstrates the full breadth of our global 5G leadership, with innovations such as hardware accelerated AI and the support for upcoming 5G Advanced capabilities, which unlock a whole new level of 5G performance and a new phase in cellular communications,” said Durga Malladi, senior vice president and general manager of cellular modems and infrastructure at Qualcomm.

Qualcomm supplies networking chips for not only smartphone makers but also wireless carriers. In 2021, the company introduced a computing module called the 5G DU X100 Accelerator Card that can be used to power 5G cell towers. The module offloads computationally intensive network management tasks from a cell tower’s servers to increase performance. 

Photo: Qualcomm