Qualcomm CEO Paul Jacobs announced at the Consumer Electronics Show Tuesday that the S4 processor, their latest creation, will be loaded later in 2012 into notebooks, smart TVs, and smartphones, and digital media adapters. They are not joking either. There are more than 70 devices designed around this new chip, from more than 20 manufacturers. Qualcomm is even working together with Microsoft on LTE solutions, utilizing S4 chips. The S4 chips have integrated Wi-Fi and high performance built-in graphics adapters.
A 1.5 GHz quad-core is the main feature of the Snapdragon S4 MPQ8064 processor. Both the graphics and audio are built-in, based on Qualcomm’s Krait micro-architecture-Adreno™ 320 graphics and advanced audio/video capabilities. This reduces power consumption and increases the performance in the mobile computing experience.
The first smart TV operated by Android, will also be powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon, combined with the experience brought to the table by Lenovo. The Wi-Fi pipes in MPOG, Net video, and local TV content, as well as additional screens throughout the home.
The Vice President of Product Management at Qualcomm, Raj Talluri revealed their awareness that the consumer is seeking a unified level of experience regardless of device, whether smart TV, smartphone, PC, or tablet. He explained that this step is a natural evolution of their leadership in mobile and computing in the home.
Lenovo’s K91 Smart TV is the first TV in the world to operate from a Qualcomm Snapdragon chip, but also on Android 4.0. Lenovo’s hope is to transform the home into a content consuming space and a haven for videoconferencing, social media, and the whole gambit. Even now there are over 300 commercial devices operating on Snapdragon chips, along with another 350 under heavy development.
The 2012 CES is the first demonstration of Windows 8 with Snapdragon S4 processors running on AT&T LTE network connectivity. The connected standby mode was delivered with significantly lower consumption of energy from the battery. The reference hardware tablet for the demonstration was the Snapdragon S4 MSM8960 running Windows 8, connected by LTE.
By integrating hardware and software solutions into the chip, Qualcomm has provided more robust flexibility to device manufacturers such as Microsoft. This approach brings processor performance, wireless connectivity, and efficient power consumption to the forefront of the package.
The LTE integration gives the user the ability to stay connected anywhere the travel and to hook into next generation networks. Gobi is Qualcomm’s mobile Internet platform for connecting to 3G/4G and LTE worldwide support. With the Gobi 4000 manufacturers can design for either LTE/HSPA+ or LTE/EV-DO.
Qualcomm is one of the biggest wireless chipset providers in the world and holds the most diverse portfolio for chipsets. It is perhaps Microsoft’s only available option at the moment for providing support for Windows PC’s and smartphones. Microsoft’s director of Windows Core Marketing & Ecosystem, Aidan Marcuss, explained that consumers are looking for an always on, always connected solution in their devices. Perhaps he is superimposing this on his consumers, in order to push Microsoft’s hidden government agenda. There have long been stories documenting hidden back doors intelligence agencies have used to access Windows machines. If your phone is always on and always connected, they are always watching and listening. Nice feature.
Photo Credit: SlashGear
