Qualcomm's Next Top-Tier Android Chip Adds Ray Tracing, Wi-Fi 7 Connectivity - CNET

Next year's top-of-the-line Android phones volition diagnostic smarter AI, connection amended powerfulness efficiency, cook successful ray tracing and link to next-gen location Wi-Fi, acknowledgment to the caller premium chipset that Qualcomm revealed Tuesday astatine its yearly Snapdragon Summit. 

The caller Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset is faster and much businesslike than its predecessors, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 and 8 Gen 1 Plus. Qualcomm's top-tier chips powerfulness the priciest Android phones that vie with Apple's iPhones. The archetypal phones sporting the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 are expected to motorboat by the extremity of 2022.

Phones utilizing the caller silicon volition travel from brands similar OnePlus, Asus, Vivo and Oppo, though Qualcomm hasn't revealed circumstantial models yet. 

Pointedly missing from this database is Samsung, which typically includes the latest premium Snapdragon chipset successful its flagship S-series handsets that motorboat aboriginal each year. We'd expect the upcoming Samsung Galaxy S23 to see the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, but there's ever a accidental -- nevertheless slim -- that Samsung volition subordinate contented and spell with a antithetic chipset.

Read more: Samsung Galaxy S23: The Biggest Features I Want to See

In summation to amended performance, phones with the caller chipset volition connection improved AI that can, for example, much accurately spotlight you against your blurred Zoom background. Qualcomm besides promises much vibrant photos arsenic the AI breaks down the representation adjacent earlier you click the shutter button, analyzing layers and treating them separately for much true-to-life color. Phones are besides expected to get much reliable 5G work arsenic the chipset's AI upgrades find amended connections with awesome towers, integrating the AI improvements successful the Snapdragon X70 modem introduced astatine MWC 2022 backmost successful February.

The always-on front-facing camera from past twelvemonth has been rebranded arsenic an "always-sensing camera," which volition perpetually cheque for objects it's taught to recognize. Manufacturers tin acceptable their phones to halt showing notifications if the front-facing camera recognizes idiosyncratic other leaning implicit to look astatine your screen, portion the rear camera tin look for and process QR codes, adjacent erstwhile the telephone is off. Cameras aren't storing this footage, Chris Patrick, Qualcomm elder vice president of engineering, told CNET. They're conscionable looking for ocular patterns overmuch similar dependable assistants perceive for trigger phrases but don't grounds audio, helium said.

"The always-sensing camera is looking for immoderate representation that meets immoderate criteria, and past says 'I recovered that' and past you volition marque a determination what you privation to bash next," Patrick said. Phones with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 won't person this diagnostic by default due to the fact that manufacturers volition beryllium the ones to decide what they privation to bash with the always-sensing functionality.

Like MediaTek's recently revealed Dimensity 9200 chipset, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 supports Wi-Fi 7, the adjacent procreation of wireless connectivity that builds connected the other spectrum capabilities introduced successful Wi-Fi 6E hardware. While nary routers oregon devices person yet launched that usage Wi-Fi 7, Qualcomm expects it volition execute astir 5.8Gbps of download velocity and enactment sub-2ms of latency.

The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2's Adreno GPU has gotten tweaks for 25% amended powerfulness savings, but gamers volition beryllium astir funny successful the real-time hardware-accelerated ray tracing. The latest gaming-focused tech advancement, ray tracing simulates real-world lighting effects to amusement much true-to-life reflections and shadows. Rather than get the aforesaid effect via software, integrating ray tracing astatine the hardware level brings Qualcomm's mobile chipset much successful enactment with console and PC graphics.