Qualcomm has upgraded its top-tier wearable chipsets, with the flagship Snapdragon W5+ claimed to cut power usage in half while offering improved performance and a 30 per cent reduction in unit size on previous designs.
Unveiling the Snapdragon W5+ and W5, Qualcomm noted manufacturers Oppo and Mobvoi would be the first to use the new platforms.
Oppo is set to release its Watch 3 Series next month, while Mobvoi’s model sporting the upgraded chip is due later in the year. Qualcomm added a further 25 devices were in the pipeline.
The chip company claimed its latest release would increase wearable performance while allowing richer features and sleeker designs due to the size reduction compared with previous iterations.
Its flagship W5+ comprises a 4nm-based system-on-chip and 22nm-based always-on coprocessor. It also supports deep sleep and hibernate low power modes designed to improve device battery life.
In a statement, Qualcomm global head of smart wearables Pankaj Kedia branded the new chipsets its “most advanced leap yet” in the area, adding the “wearables industry continues to grow and present opportunities across multiple segments at an unprecedented pace”.
