Qualcomm presented the new 5G modem Snapdragon X80 and the new WLAN chip Fastconnect 7900 at the MWC 2024 mobile communications trade fair. Emphasis on both chipsets Qualcomm the use of artificial intelligence to improve the user experience. The manufacturer already used AI in the predecessors of the two chips.
The Tensor accelerator in the Snapdragon X80 is intended to ensure, among other things, even better latency, speed, coverage and efficiency. The AI should recognize the context in which users are currently using their device and make appropriate improvements based on this.
Special AI algorithms are used for this, which are supposed to be updated directly by the providers or OEMs. Among other things, the AI selects the antennas to be used. The Snapdragon X80 supports all global 5G bands (mmWave, Sub-6 GHz) and satellite communications (NB-NTN). Instead of five frequency bands as in the previous model, six bands are supported.
Satellite connections also apart from IoT
The partner for the satellite connections is the provider Skylo. According to Qualcomm, the satellite communication capabilities will be suitable not only for IoT devices, but also for emergency services and text messaging. The Snapdragon
The Fastconnect 7900 WLAN chip is the first chipset to integrate WLAN, Bluetooth and UWB (Ultra Wide Band) on one chip. Accordingly, OEMs have more space for other components in the device. Here too, AI algorithms should recognize the respective scenario and improve the user experience through adjustments, for example in terms of latency, speed and coverage.
Compared to the predecessor chip Fastconnect 7800, for example, efficiency is said to have increased by up to 30 percent. The modem supports Wi-Fi 6, 6E and 7 as well as Bluetooth 5.4. According to Qualcomm, the maximum speed for WLAN connections is 5.8 Gbps thanks to 4K QAM – like the previous model.
Both the Snapdragon X80 modem and the Fastconnect 7900 chip are scheduled to come onto the market in the second half of 2024.