Delivering a 5G Advanced-ready modem/RF system will help Qualcomm continue to deliver on its diversification strategy
Qualcomm today gave a first look at its new Snapdragon X75 Modem/RF System that is being positioned as providing device OEMs an evolutionary path forward to 3GPP Rel. 18 compatibility. Rel. 18 is not yet finalized—expect substantial completion of the standard in late 2023/early 2024—but marks the beginning of the 5G Advanced era.
5G Advanced, based on ongoing work items, will bring system-level enhancements to 5G covering enhanced mobile broadband (eMBB), ultra reliability low latency communications (URLLC), and massive machine-type communications (mMTC). Additionally, Rel. 18 will more tightly couple 5G with artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML), and bring a robust feature set to new categories of devices with vertical- and use case-specific optimizations. By many accounts, this is where the long-discussed promise of broad digital transformation of enterprises through industrial internet of things-type implementations becomes technologically feasible and widely scalable.
Highlights of the X75 include 10-carrier mmWave aggregation, a converged mmWave/sub-6 GHz transceiver, simplified and more efficient antenna modules, integrated AI capabilities for enhanced connectivity, reliability and location-based services, more efficient power consumption, dual SIMs for simultaneous 4G and 5G connectivity, and support for satellite connectivity.
As Qualcomm pursues a diversification strategy against the backdrop of a softening handset market, the company is looking to growth in PC, Industrial IoT, automotive and other segments. In a press note, the company described the Snapdragon X75 as “designed to drive the next stage of 5G evolution in all key verticals.”
Qualcomm SVP and GM, Cellular Modems and Infrastructure, Durga Malladi said in a statement, “5G Advanced will take connectivity to a whole new level, fueling the new reality of the connected intelligent edge. 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.”
The notion of the connected intelligent edge is key to Qualcomm’s diversification and technology strategy. The central thesis is that, going forward, all devices will need on-board AI, efficient computing capabilities, and cellular connectivity. In practice, that means Qualcomm is taking core technologies initially developed for handsets and applying them to the growth segments delineated above.
In commentary provided to RCR Wireless News, Anshel Sag, principal analyst for smartphones, wireless, PC, 5G and XR with Moor Insights & Strategy, noted the powerful combo of 5G and AI, as well why forward compatibility with Rel. 18 is important for device OEMs.
“The tighter integration with faster AI and a consolidated transceiver is really about simplifying the design for OEMs, reducing the number of chips and PCB space, while also being able to add new features that improve performance and power consumption, which seems to be the bulk of the features we’re seeing implemented in the on-modem AI engine,” Sag wrote in an email.
He continued: “Going beyond Rel. 15 will help standardize and enable industrial applications with things like NTN and enhancements for XR applications, both of which are seen as future ways to enable applications beyond smartphones and 2D experiences. While the X75 is more of a future-proofing modem, there are some benefits to Qualcomm’s partners knowing that they can build a device with a modem that has a lot of longevity in its design. after all, Rel. 18 and 5G Advanced haven’t even been fully finalized yet.”
Click here for a breakdown of Snapdragon X75 Modem/RF System technical details.
