Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. today unveiled the latest additions to the company's suite of premium wearable platforms, Snapdragon W5+ Gen 1 and Snapdragon W5 Gen 1. These platforms are designed to advance ultra-low power and breakthrough performance for next generation connected wearables with a focus on extended battery life, premium user experiences, and sleek, innovative designs. By using these platforms, manufacturers can scale, differentiate, and develop products faster in the continuously growing and segmenting wearables industry.

New enhancements to the flagship Snapdragon W5+ platform offer 50% lower power, 2X higher performance, 2X richer features, and 30% smaller size, compared to our previous generation, enabling wearable manufacturers to deliver the differentiated experiences consumers demand. Based on the hybrid architecture, the purpose-built platform is comprised of a 4 nm-based system-on-chip and 22 nm-based highly integrated always-on co-processor. It incorporates a series of platform innovations including new ultra-low power Bluetooth 5.3 architecture, low power islands for Wi-Fi, GNSS, and Audio, and low power states such as Deep Sleep and Hibernate.

In a statement that could refute speculation that Intel processors are in short-supply because the company is allocating its fabs for 9th generation processor launch, Compal President Martin Wong stated that supply issues with Intel processors could go on till the second half of 2019 (at least 9 more months). The issues threaten to undermine worldwide notebook shipments, he added. Compal is a major Taiwan-based notebook ODM and whitebox electronics manufacturer that supplies to major notebook brands.

Wong is miffed that Intel hasn't provided any clear schedule for restoration of supply normalcy. Intel responded that it is "cooperating closely" with its partners to manage the extra orders, and that supply priority will be given to Xeon and Core processors, including Core brand extensions "U-series" (ultraportable) and "Y-series" (ultra low-power).