There are only a few brand names, if any at all, more popular than Qualcomm when it comes to the mobile chipset and application processor (APU) business. Qualcomm – with its industry-leading Snapdragon brand of processors and chipsets – currently tops the list of the most used mobile chipset brands available, followed by Samsung’s Exynos processors and Apple’s A-series. But emerging Chinese manufacturer Xiaomi is planning to upset the established order by entering into the mobile chipset business themselves.
“Xiaomi plans to release its in-house Rifle-dubbed mobile APUs at a company event, which has been set to take place May,” said an official at Xiaomi’s component partner. The Xiaomi processors will be manufactured using a standard core license technology from ARM, a British-based company which owns the intellectual property in most mobile processors.
Barring any major change in direction, this will mean that most – if not all – Xiaomi mobile phones will start using their own silicon to power them. Before this, Xiaomi has been reliant on Qualcomm’s high end and midrange offerings to power their own smartphones. This will be a big blow to Qualcomm in itself, and potentially a bigger cause for concern once Xiaomi gets to the production levels where it can distribute to other manufacturers as well.
The problem of the established order is this – Xiaomi has firmly targeted the midrange and lower end of the spectrum, where most smartphones in the Chinese market are found. If Xiaomi can leverage on lower prices than Qualcomm and Samsung‘s Exynos, they can get a jump on the Chinese market, a market which Samsung and Qualcomm have been eager to dominate. Interesting times, this. Get your popcorn and watch this unfold.
VIA: Korea Times
