Qualcomm reveals 64-bit Snapdragon 410 mobile CPU
The first 64-bit mobile system-on-chip outside of Apple's proprietary A7 has been revealed by Qualcomm, but the Snapdragon 410 won't be coming to the UK any time soon
Qualcomm has officially announced its first 64-bit system-on-chip (SoC) for mobile devices. The Snapdragon 410 is a 28nm chip designed for mid-range Android handsets and emerging markets, rather than flagship phones.
Although some may be disappointed to hear the first 64-bit CPU for mobile devices outside of Apple’s iPhone 5s is destined to appear in mid-range handsets, there’s a good reason for the move. ARM, the company which designs the core architecture Qualcomm uses as the basis for its chipsets, only has a single 64-bit design ready for production – the Cortex A53.
Qualcomm has bolted four A53 cores, running at 1.2GHz, together for the Snapdragon 410. It also has an Adreno 306 GPU core, supports dual- and even triple-SIM handsets, up to 13-megapixel cameras and 1080p video playback.
Beyond GPS/GLONASS, Wi-Fi, NFC and Bluetooth, Snapdragon 410 also supports multimode and multiband 4G LTE, which should mean any handset using the chipset will work on super-fast networks around the world.
Qualcomm expects manufacturers to receive the first Snapdragon 410 chipsets in the first half of 2014, so it could be the summer before the first handsets to use the new chips go on sale. Prices will likely be below £150, so expect other components like screen and storage to be equally mid-range when these phones do appear.
For the time being the Snapdragon 800 will remain Qualcomm’s high-end mobile chipset, although with CES and Mobile World Congress just a few months away it too could see an upgrade to 64-bit in the near future.
