Qualcomm Announces 'Snapdragon Mobile Platform' Brand As Its Complete Silicon Solution For Mobile Devices

As of today, Qualcomm is describing its venerable Snapdragon processor line-up and related supporting component technologies a little differently. From here on out, the mobile processor and platform bellwether is shifting from the word “processor” to “mobile platform” when referring to its Snapdragon family of chips for smartphones, tablets and other wireless mobile devices. That might seem like the sort of subtle branding shift that matters more to the marketing team than you, but in the case of Snapdragon, the use of the words “mobile platform” is going to have a noticeable impact, as VP of Product Marketing Don McGuire noted on Qualcomm’s blog this morning.

For Qualcomm, the move from “processor” to “platform” has been a long time coming. The venerable chip maker wants to shine a light on the wealth of related technologies it delivers to phone manufacturers, like its Aqstic high fidelity audio DAC, touch-controllers, or (the favorite of procrastinators everywhere), Qualcomm Quick Charge technology. And don't forget that RF front-end circuit that actually brings in a signal when you're out in the sticks somewhere, otherwise devoid of WiFi. Qualcomm plans to encompass all of these features and enabling technologies by referring to them as the Snapdragon Mobile Platform.

The use of “platform” also points to Qualcomm’s focus on five aspects of the user experience: battery life, camera, connectivity, immersion, and security. Qualcomm developed technologies to improve each of these experience “pillars,” and felt, understandably, that “processor” wasn’t describing the breadth of the tech adequately. Even though its next generation Snapdragon 835 processor is actually an SoC (System On Chip), it's in reality even more than just a single chip solution. 

The change is also affecting which chips get the Snapdragon label. For the first time, the upcoming Snapdragon 200 line will not be, well, Snapdragon. The next 200 series chip will be a Qualcomm Mobile chip. The 400, 600, and 800 lines, which deliver what Qualcomm calls the “premium mobile experience,” will maintain the Snapdragon brand.

The move makes sense, considering that the 200 series shows up in budget feature phones and other entry-level devices. Protecting – and clarifying – the Snapdragon brand in the minds of buyers (and partners) is worth doing, even if it doesn’t drum up the sort of excitement that the company's Snapdragon 835 platform does. We'll have more details on that later this month as well, so stick around.