In a press conference at Computex 2024, several Qualcomm execs suggested a major upgrade could come to Android phones later this year.
That references the Orion CPU, which makes up part of the Snapdragon X Elite chip launched at the show.
Computex 2024 is live right now in Taipei. The world's biggest and best tech companies are bringing their innovations to market, showcasing their newest products and concepts.
We've already seen a wide range of new devices. Asus unveiled – among other things – their new ProArt range of laptops and tablets, while Intel has also launched its Lunar Lake series of chips.
We also got a good look at the Snapdragon X Elite chip. That marks the brands first foray into the world of computing processors, and it appears to stack up well. With an NPU capable of performing up to 45 trillion operations per second, this is a processor designed specifically to work with Copilot+ and other AI processes.
But it's not the only product category getting a boost. In a press conference with Qualcomm CEO, Cristiano Amon, news of a similarly capable processor coming to Android phones was teased.
Amon said, "I urge you not to miss Snapdragon Summit where you’ll see big things in mobile." That sentiment was later echoed by the companies' General Manager for Mobile, Computing and XR, Alex Katouzian. He said, "You must attend the Snapdragon Summit to see how we move [this technology] into mobile and eventually automotive."
Specifically, that references the Oryon CPU. That's a class leading piece of architecture, and a key part of why the X Elite chip is capable of such impressive specs. Seeing it on your next Android phone could make a massive difference to the user experience there.
Of course, it's not just phones, either. Katouzian's comments suggest the devices will also land in car chipsets, too. That's a burgeoning market, and one which Qualcomm will no doubt want to lead in, too.
With no further information given, we'll just have to wait until the end of the year for more details. One thing is certain though – if these chips can make as big a splash in the phone world as they have in laptops, we're in for a real treat.
