Qualcomm launches two new smartphone chips with emphasis on AI
techcrunch ·
Qualcomm has unveiled two new flagship smartphone processors, the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 and the Snapdragon 8 Elite Extreme Gen 6, with a primary focus on enhancing AI capabilities. These chips feature new sensing hubs capable of running small models up to 200 million parameters locally, enabling features like personal scribes and speaker differentiation. The Extreme version is particularly powerful, supporting the local execution of a 30 billion parameter mixture-of-experts model for more efficient processing. In addition to AI, the processors offer advanced camera controls, including support for 8K video recording and an Advanced Professional Video codec. Both chips include noise reduction technologies and Qualcomm's voice bubble tech to isolate user audio during calls. Motorola announced it will power its upcoming Signature 27 smartphone with the Extreme variant of these chips. This launch aligns with industry trends suggesting that smartphones will increasingly serve as the primary device for AI interactions rather than dedicated hardware.
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