According to reports from last year, Xiaomi was expected to unveil an oft-rumored proprietary mobile chipset design at some point in 2025. By October 2024, the Chinese technology giant allegedly reached the tape-out phase of its first 3 nm SoC—at the time, insiders posited that Xiaomi was seeking a manufacturing partner. Months earlier, a prototype design was linked to TSMC's 4 nm "N4P" node process—this rumor raised many smartphone watchdog eyebrows. Unlike many other Chinese firms, Xiaomi was reportedly allowed to select a fairly advanced manufacturing process at Taiwan's premier foundry service. In a past weekend news article, Wccftech outlined interesting circumstances: "(US) export controls have yet to affect Xiaomi, which is supposedly on track to launch its first in-house chipset later this year. However, while we reported last year that the company was scheduled to unveil its custom 3 nm SoC in 2025, we were disappointed to learn just the specifications of this version that will utilize TSMC's 'N4P' process. According to more details, this silicon will not sport any homegrown cores like Qualcomm has adopted for the Snapdragon 8 Elite."

Late last week, Jukanlosreve highlighted another leaker's prediction—regarding the technological foundations of Xiaomi's mystery flagship mobile processor. Fixed Focus Digital's Weibo post mentioned the "N4P" node, as well the utilization of current generation Arm Cortex-X925, Cortex-A725 and Cortex-A520 units. A speculated Imagination Technologies "IMG DXT 72-2304" integrated graphics solution is touted to outperform Qualcomm's Adreno 740 iGPU; as featured in their Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 (2022) SoC. As highlighted by Wccftech's report, one of the publication's associates has deemed Fixed Focus Digital to be an unreliable source of inside track info. In response to Jukanlosreve's tweeted question, Mochamad Farido Fanani opined: "that's right, how does Xiaomi use N4P in its new chipset? But this guy always guesses blindly." Older leaks—based on "N4P" rumors—projected performance levels roughly on par with Qualcomm's first generation Snapdragon 8 chip. This model was introduced at the tail end of 2021.

Late last month, speculative Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 2 (aka SM8850) technical details emerged online. Up until then, Digital Chat Station's Weibo channel has delivered all sorts of pre-release information—mostly concentrating on Qualcomm's alleged redeployment of a familiar "2 + 6" core configuration, and selection of TSMC's 3 nm "N3P" node process. Earlier today, the veteran leaker predicted a couple of new-gen improvements—first concentrating on the alleged mobile chipset's "Adreno 840" integrated graphics solution. Digital Chat Station (DCS) believes that the company's engineering team has increased their iGPU design's independent cache size "from 12 MB to 16 MB," leading to: "early setting performance increased by 30%±." It is not clear whether this rumored upgrade has affected the SoC's L2 or L3 cache provisions, but the current-gen Snapdragon 8 Elite mobile processor makes do with 12 MB of L2 cache per cluster. Additionally, DCS reckons that an enlargement of caches has resulted in performance of Qualcomm's "second-generation self-developed CPU architecture" increasing "by 25%±."

As interpreted by Wccftech: "the upcoming SoC will now feature 32 MB of L2 cache, with the L3 count currently unknown at this time. The initial test results revealed that the 'Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 2' delivered a 30 percent performance increase, but it is unconfirmed if this delta exists between the Snapdragon 8 Elite or some other silicon." DCS has heard whispers about the upcoming chip supporting "new generations of high-speed LPDDR5X/LPDDR6" memory. The mentioning of LPDDR5X is not surprising; given that the current Snapdragon 8 Elite model is already up to snuff with this spec. Just over a year ago, JEDEC was reportedly working on the finalization of LPDDR6 standards for mobile platforms. Shortly thereafter, smartphone industry watchdogs started to theorize about the arrival of a so-called "Snapdragon 8 Gen 4" chip with LPDDR6 RAM in 2025. Fast-forward to the present day; fresh reports suggest that manufacturers will have the option to outfit next-gen flagship devices with "bog-standard" LPDDR5X or faster/more efficient LPDDR6 memory.

When Microsoft first introduced the Copilot+ program alongside its renewed push for Windows-on-Arm laptops, the AI-powered assistant features were mostly limited to Snapdragon X-powered devices. In addition to the inclusion of these features on Intel and AMD systems, Microsoft is also announcing Voice Access, a new accessibility feature that will first launch on Qualcomm Snapdragon systems and make their way to Intel- and AMD-powered systems. These new updates come by way of the March 27 Preview update titled KB505365. However, there is still no mention of an AMD and Intel launch for the much maligned Recall feature that Microsoft was testing late last year and recalled due to privacy concerns.

According to the latest Windows Experience Blog post, users of AMD- and Intel-powered PCs will now be able to access features, like Live Captions, Cocreator, Restyle Image, and Image Creator more broadly across the line-up of Copilot+ PCs with Intel Core Ultra 200V and AMD Ryzen AI 300 CPUs. Live Captions is officially pitched as an accessibility feature, meanwhile Restyle Image and Image Creator are AI-powered image editing and generation features, and Cocreator lies somewhere in between as a text-to-image tool that is meant to augment drawing in Paint. Cocreator will be rolling out as of the announcement, and Restyle Image and Image Creator will be available in the Photos app on Intel and AMD systems. As for Voice Access, Microsoft claims that it will allow users to be more flexible with their language when using speech to navigate their PCs, as opposed to "learning complex steps, commands and syntax that voice access previously required" for voice navigation on PC. Voice Access will initially be limited to Snapdragon X PCs, but it will roll out to AMD and Intel Copilot+ PCs later this year.

Digital Chat Station (DCS)—a tenured leaker of Qualcomm pre-release information—has shared new "Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 2" chipset details. Earlier today, their Weibo feed was updated with a couple of technological predictions. The announced smartphone chip's "SM8850" identifier was disclosed once again, along with the repeated claim that Qualcomm has selected a 3 nm "N3P" node process. Industry watchdogs expect to see the San Diego-headquartered fabless semiconductor designer introduce its next-generation flagship smartphone SoC in October. The current-gen Snapdragon 8 Elite platform was unveiled last Fall; sporting cutting-edge "Oryon" (aka Phoenix) processor cores and an integrated Adreno 830 graphics solution. DCS reckons that the natural successor will reuse a familiar "2 + 6" core configuration; comprised of two prime "big performance" units, and six "normal" performance-tuned units. An Adreno 840 iGPU was listed as DCS's final point of conjecture.

The incoming "Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 2" chipset was mentioned in the same sentence as rumored "Pegasus" cores (Phoenix's sequel)—slightly far-fetched rumors from 2024 suggested Qualcomm's upgraded processor architecture being tested at maximum frequencies of 5.0 GHz (on performance cores). As pointed out by Wccftech, Gen 1's performance cores run at 4.47 GHz (by default). In today's follow-up post, DCS claimed that Qualcomm's: "self-developed CPU architecture is now in the second generation, with a performance setting of over 380 W+." Industry watchdogs reckon that the "Snapdragon 8 Elite 2" chip will be capable of recording 3.8+ million point tallies in AnTuTu V10 gauntlets, thanks to the alleged utilization of ArmV9 architecture. DCS theorized that the speculated "SM8850" SoC will support ARM's Scalable Matrix Extension 1 (SME 1) and Scalable Vector Extension 2 (SVE2) instruction sets.

Qualcomm has filed confidential complaints with antitrust regulators in the US, Europe, and South Korea, accusing Arm Holdings of leveraging its dominance to suppress competition in chip design. The filings, submitted to the US FTC European Commission and Korea Fair Trade Commission, alleged that Arm is restricting access to critical technologies and altering licensing terms to favor its own chip ventures, Bloomberg reported. Arm swiftly denied the claims, claimining that this is a distraction from a broader commercial dispute. "Arm remains focused on enhancing innovation, promoting competition, and respecting contractual rights and obligations," a company spokesperson told Tom's Hardware. "Any allegation of anti-competitive conduct is nothing more than a desperate attempt by Qualcomm to detract from the merits and expand the parties' ongoing commercial dispute for its own competitive benefit. Arm is confident that it will ultimately prevail in this dispute."

Qualcomm's filings argue that Arm is abandoning its longstanding open licensing model, which enabled a global ecosystem of chipmakers and software developers. Instead, the company claims Arm is prioritizing its compute subsystems (CSS)—pre-packaged chip designs for client devices and data centers—by limiting rivals' ability to license core technologies. Qualcomm also alleges Arm is withholding IP and violating agreements, particularly for clients developing custom silicon based on CSS designs. The complaints follow a recent legal victory for Qualcomm in a Delaware court, where a judge ruled the company did not breach licensing deals by acquiring chip startup Nuvia and using its IP in Snapdragon X processors for PCs. Arm, which plans to appeal the decision, insists Qualcomm's regulatory push is an escalation of the same dispute. According to Bloomberg's sources, Qualcomm's EU complaint—filed before the December court ruling—warned that Arm's post-2024 licensing changes would force chipmakers to obtain direct architecture licenses to use CSS designs, which could marginalize competitors. Arm confirmed it is preparing a formal response to the EU filing, while Qualcomm has reportedly engaged regulators in Washington and Seoul on similar concerns.

Arm has officially unveiled its Accuracy Super Resolution (ASR) upscaling technology at Game Developer Conference 2025, delivering an open-source upscaling solution for mobile and low-power devices. Built upon AMD's FidelityFX Super Resolution 2 (FSR 2) framework, ASR promises up to 53% higher frame rates while reducing power consumption by 20% on devices utilizing the Immortalis-G720 GPU. This technology addresses a critical performance gap in the Android ecosystem, which has historically lagged behind Apple's MetalFX implementation. The temporal upscaling approach employed by ASR combines information from multiple frames to generate higher-quality images, offering superior visual fidelity compared to Qualcomm's Game Super Resolution (GSR), which relies on the older spatial-based FSR 1 technique. In benchmark testing with complex scenes, Arm demonstrated that ASR helps maintain stable device temperatures, preventing thermal throttling that can compromise user experience.

Collaboration with MediaTek confirmed significant power savings on Dimensity 9300 chipsets, directly addressing battery life concerns for mobile gamers. Arm plans to release pre-built plugins for Unity and Unreal Engine by year-end, streamlining integration for developers working with these widely-used game engines. During GDC demonstrations, Arm showcased the "Mori" demo running in Unreal Engine 5, where ASR delivered 30% performance improvements without visual compromises. Licensed under MIT open-source terms, ASR's accessibility extends across the entire Arm ecosystem, potentially benefiting smartphones running MediaTek Dimensity, Qualcomm Snapdragon, Samsung Exynos, and even Arm-powered laptops featuring Snapdragon X series SoCs.

Qualcomm's Snapdragon X platform is hitting more road obstacles as the platform matures. First, it was low sales in the third quarter of 2024, and now it is the latest flag from the world's largest online retailer—Amazon. According to Windows Central, Amazon has flagged Microsoft's Surface Laptop 7 AI PC with the "Frequently Returned Item" flag. Being pretty much self-explanatory, the flag marks items "with the highest return rates for their product category." Presumably, Amazon's algorithm has weighted out return rates of AI PCs, and it turns out that Qualcomm Snapdragon X-powered Surface Laptop 7 has not stuck with consumers for long. Amazon's return policy allows product returns 30 days after receiving an item, and it seems like customers aren't pleased with it.

However, the laptop currently maintains a 4.2/5-star rating based on 360 ratings. 12% of these are one-star and 71% are five-star ratings. A sudden spike in returns may be boosted by Microsoft updating the Surface Laptop 7 with an Intel Core Ultra series of processors, so customers are returning their Arm-based laptops for x86 variants. We need more data to make further conclusions. As a reminder, despite sequential growth of 180% in Q3 2024, Snapdragon X-powered devices represent less than 1.5% of the Windows market, according to research from Canalys. Qualcomm sold around 720,000 Snapdragon X devices, accounting for only 0.8% of all PCs sold in Q3 2024. We are waiting for new data to compare to the rest of the ecosystem.

At its annual Amplify Conference, HP Inc. today announced new products and services designed to shape the future of work, empowering people and businesses to create and manage their own way of working. The company unveiled more than 80 PCs, AI-powered print tools for SMBs, and Workforce Experience Platform enhancements all built to drive company growth and professional fulfillment.

"HP is translating AI into meaningful experiences that drive growth and fulfillment," said Enrique Lores, President and CEO at HP Inc. "We are shaping the future of work with game-changing AI innovations that seamlessly adapt to how people want to work."

AYANEO debuted its Android gaming pad at GDC 2025 in San Francisco on March 17, establishing itself as the world's first device manufacturer to integrate Qualcomm's new Snapdragon G3 Gen 3 gaming platform. The AYANEO Gaming Pad features significant performance upgrades, with CPU and GPU improvements of 30% and 28% over previous generation hardware. The device centers around an 8.3-inch 1440p LCD optimized for gaming with a 120 Hz refresh rate and 3:2 aspect ratio. AYANEO has implemented an active cooling system with a blower-type fan to maintain thermal stability during extended gaming sessions. The hardware architecture includes a CNC all-metal frame, and a transparent glass back cover in what the company calls its "Explorer Edition" design aesthetic.

Other specs, such as the camera, exceed typical gaming tablet specifications, with a 5 MP front-facing camera for streaming complemented by a 50 MP primary rear camera and a 13 MP 120-degree ultra-wide lens. The Gaming Pad incorporates a six-axis gyroscope for motion controls and quad-chamber speakers for spatial audio output. Connectivity advances include implementing Wi-Fi 7. The Gaming Pad supports peripheral ecosystem expansion through compatible controllers, keyboards, and mice, enhancing its versatility across gaming contexts. While AYANEO is the first to market with the Snapdragon G3 Gen 3 Platform, OneXPlayer has simultaneously announced its ONEXSUGAR SUGAR 1 with the same chipset. AYANEO has not yet disclosed pricing, availability, or complete technical specifications, with additional product details expected in upcoming announcements.

Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. today announced its 2025 lineup of Snapdragon G Series Gaming Platforms, purposefully designed to power handheld gaming devices for a wide range of players. The new portfolio consists of the Snapdragon G3 Gen 3, Snapdragon G2 Gen 2, and Snapdragon G1 Gen 2, created to bring best-in-class portable gaming experiences.

• Snapdragon G3 Gen 3 is the first Snapdragon G Series platform to support Lumen, Unreal Engine 5's fully dynamic global illumination and reflections system, for Android handheld-dedicated gaming devices. Compared to the previous generation, Snapdragon G3 Gen 3 features 30% faster CPU performance and 28% faster advanced graphics capabilities, as well as greater power optimizations and energy efficiencies. With support for Wi-Fi 7, players can reduce latency and increase bandwidth.
• Snapdragon G2 Gen 2 is aimed for gaming and cloud gaming at 144 FPS on dedicated gaming devices, offering a powerful balance of performance and efficiency with 2.3x CPU performance increase and 3.8x faster GPU capabilities over Snapdragon G2 Gen 1. The platform also supports Wi-Fi 7 for faster and more reliable wireless connections.
• Snapdragon G1 Gen 2 is built to deliver robust performance to a broader audience, bringing up to 1080p at 120 FPS over Wi-Fi. Intended for cloud gaming on dedicated handheld Android gaming devices, this platform drives 80% faster CPU and 25% faster GPU performance for seamless gameplay.

TrendForce reveals that the combined revenue of the world's top 10 IC design houses reached approximately US$249.8 billion in 2024, marking a 49% YoY increase. The booming AI industry has fueled growth across the semiconductor sector, with NVIDIA leading the charge, posting an astonishing 125% revenue growth, widening its lead over competitors, and solidifying its dominance in the IC industry.

Looking ahead to 2025, advancements in semiconductor manufacturing will further enhance AI computing power, with LLMs continuing to emerge. Open-source models like DeepSeek could lower AI adoption costs, accelerating AI penetration from servers to personal devices. This shift positions edge AI devices as the next major growth driver for the semiconductor industry.

Today marks the launch of ASUS Vivobook S14/S16 (S3407QA/S3607QA), a pair of Copilot+ PCs engineered to be the ideal companions for everyday life.

Featuring the latest high-performance Snapdragon X processor with up to 45 TOPS NPU, these ultra-slim, lightweight laptops deliver powerful AI capabilities, extended battery life, and next-level connectivity. For work, study, or play, Vivobook S14/S16 provide an immersive entertainment experience with stunning 16:10 FHD OLED or 2.5K 144 Hz IPS displays, along with Snapdragon Sound and Dolby Atmos audio. Designed for style and durability, these devices ensure effortless AI computing with premium metallic chassis, military-grade resilience, and advanced security features for total peace of mind.

TSMC is still considering a strategic joint venture to operate Intel's manufacturing capacity, according to four sources close to Reuters that are familiar with the discussions. The proposed arrangement would limit TSMC's ownership to less than 50% and potentially distribute stakes to major American chip designers, including AMD, Broadcom, NVIDIA, and Qualcomm. The initiative emerged following direct intervention from the Trump administration, which has prioritized revitalizing domestic semiconductor manufacturing while maintaining American control of critical technology infrastructure. Under the proposed framework, Intel would spin off its Intel Foundry division, with TSMC acquiring a minority stake and bringing in partner companies as co-investors.

Apple, TSMC's largest customer, is absent from these preliminary discussions, suggesting careful strategic positioning within the competitive ecosystem—however, significant technical and operational challenges are facing the potential joint venture. Intel's manufacturing and real estate assets are valued at approximately $108 billion, requiring substantial capital commitments from prospective partners. More fundamentally, the technological integration presents massive obstacles, as Intel and TSMC utilize fundamentally different manufacturing processes with distinct equipment configurations and material requirements. However, the complex negotiations remain in the early stages, with significant technical, financial, and regulatory hurdles to overcome before any formal agreement materializes. Intel is still not giving the clear green light to spin off rumors.

At Embedded World Germany, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. announced the entry into an agreement to acquire EdgeImpulse Inc., which will enhance its offering for developers and expand its leadership in AI capabilities to power AI-enabled products and services across IoT. The closing of this deal is subject to customary closing conditions. This acquisition is anticipated to complement Qualcomm Technologies' strategic approach to IoT transformation, which includes a comprehensive chipset roadmap, unified software architecture, a suite of services, developer resources, ecosystem partners, comprehensive solutions, and IoT blueprints to address diverse industry needs and challenges.

"We are thrilled about the opportunity to significantly enhance our IoT offerings with Edge Impulse's advanced AI-powered end-to-end platform that will complement our strategic approach to IoT transformation," said Nakul Duggal, group general manager, automotive, industrial and embedded IoT, and cloud computing, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. "We anticipate that this acquisition will strengthen our leadership in AI and developer enablement, enhancing our ability to provide comprehensive technology for critical sectors such as retail, security, energy and utilities, supply chain management, and asset management. IoT opens the door for a myriad of opportunities, and success is about building real-world solutions, enabling developers and enterprises with AI capabilities to extract intelligence from data, and providing them with the tools to build the applications and services that will power the digital transformation of industries."

According to Digital Chat Station—a repeat leaker of unannounced Qualcomm hardware—unnamed Android smartphone manufacturers are considering an eSIM-only operating model for future flagship devices. Starting with the iPhone 14 generation (2022), Apple has continued to deliver gadgets that are not reliant on "slotted-in" physical SIM cards. According to industry insiders, competitors could copy the market leader's homework—Digital Chat Station's latest Weibo blog post discusses the space-saving benefits of eSIM operation; being "conducive to lightweight and integrated design." Forthcoming top-tier slimline Android mobile devices are tipped to utilize Qualcomm's rumored second-generation "Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 2" (SM8850) chipset.

Digital Chat Station reckons that: "SM8850 series phones at the end of the year are testing eSIM. Whether they can be implemented in China is still a question mark. Let's wait and see the iPhone 17 Air. In order to have an ultra-thin body, this phone directly cancels the physical SIM card slot. Either it will be a special phone for the domestic market, or it will get eSIM." The phasing out of physical SIM cards within the Chinese mobile market could be a tricky prospect for local OEMs, but reports suggest that "traditionally-dimensioned" flagship offerings will continue to support the familiar subscriber identity module standard. Physical SIM card purists often point out that the format still provides superior network support range.

Retroid, a popular brand of retro gaming handhelds, has finally revealed the specifications for its upcoming product - the Retro Pocket Classic. As the name suggests, the product will boast a compact form factor that screams retro vibes. The company has revealed multiple teasers for the device in the past, and has now shed light on the detailed specifications of the same. As teased, the Pocket Classic will boast a 3.92-inch AMOLED display with a peak brightness of 500 nits and a resolution of 1,240 x 1080 allowing for an impressive pixel density of 419.

Internally, an undisclosed 4 nm Qualcomm SoC will sit at the heart of the device, paired with 4 GB of LPDDR4X memory and 64 GB of eMMC storage. The product will boast an active cooling solution, which should allow for longer play times without any severe throttling issues. Speaking of longer play times, the Pocket Classic will boast a 5,000-mAh battery with 27-watt charging support. At just 13.8 x 8.9 x 2.6 cm, the Pocket Classic weighs in at just 223 grams. As for connectivity, a USB-C port, a 3.5 mm audio jack, as well as a TF card slot. Wireless communications will be taken care of by Bluetooth 5.0 and Wi-Fi 5. Pricing and availability details are under wraps for now, but when the time comes, the Pocket Classic will ship with Android 14 pre-installed.

On Monday (March 3), Qualcomm introduced its Dragonwing FWA Gen 4 Elite model—advertised as the world's first 5G Advanced-capable FWA platform. Inevitably, the company's brand-new Snapdragon X85 5G modem will be compared to a rival design—Apple's proprietary C1 chip launched last month; as featured in the A18 SoC-powered iPhone 16e series. The two companies were closely intertwined for a number of years; with a longer than anticipated co-development of 5G solutions for multiple iPhone product generations. Cristiano Amon—the CEO of Qualcomm—believes that his team's X85 5G design will end up as the victor, when pitched against Apple's C1. In a CNBC-conducted interview, he boasted: "it's the first modem that has so much AI, it actually increases the range of performance of the modem—so the modem can deal with weaker signals. What that will do will set a huge delta between the performance of premium Android devices, and iOS devices, when you compare what Qualcomm can do versus what Apple is doing."

Smartphone industry watchdogs reckon that Apple's C1 model will leverage superior power efficiency; courtesy of the contained modem and receiver being based on TSMC 4 nm and 7 nm processes (respectively). Qualcomm has not revealed the fundamental aspects of its new Snapdragon X85, so it is difficult to project its power consumption habits. Official press material concentrates on two big selling points: downlink speeds up to 12.5 Gbps, and 40 TOPS of NPU processing power. Insiders have posited that the in-house designed C1 modem will make its way into next-gen iPads and Apple wearables—additionally, the development of a successor is rumored. Despite doing less business with Apple, Amon thinks that the future is peachy: "if modem is relevant there's always a place for Qualcomm technology. In the age of AI, modems are going to be more important than they have ever been. And I think that's going to drive consumer preference about do they want the best possible modem in the computer that's in their hand all the time." Qualcomm's chief expects that the supply of Snapdragon 5G Modem‑RF Systems—to Apple—will end in 2027.

Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. today announced the Dragonwing FWA Gen 4 Elite, the world's first 5G Advanced-capable FWA platform. Powered by the Qualcomm X85 5G Modem-RF, the platform sets a new benchmark for 5G broadband performance with downlink speeds up to 12.5 Gbps. The Dragonwing FWA Gen 4 Elite platform introduces comprehensive AI enhancements and integrates a powerful network Edge AI coprocessor with up to 40 TOPS of NPU processing power. This optimizes wireless connectivity across 5G broadband and Wi-Fi, while unlocking the power of generative AI for more devices, enabling a more reliable and harmonized user experience.

"The Dragonwing FWA Gen 4 Elite Platform is a technological breakthrough, building on over 500 5G FWA designs to date, and extends our tradition of delivering platforms that solve the broadband industry's greatest challenges," said Gautam Sheoran, vice president and general manager, wireless broadband and communications, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. "By integrating unprecedented AI and connectivity capabilities, with the Qualcomm X85 at its core, this platform offers ultra-fast speeds, reliability and flexibility at a lower total cost than wired broadband, ultimately, enabling a future where seamless, intelligent networks transform the way we live and work."

RayNeo, a leading innovator in consumer Augmented Reality (AR) technology, has unveiled its latest XR glasses, the RayNeo Air 3s, at MWC 2025. Alongside this groundbreaking release, the company showcased its other two innovations: the AI-powered, Full-Color AR Glasses RayNeo X3 Pro and the Camera AI Glasses RayNeo V3. Together, these cutting-edge devices underscore RayNeo's unwavering commitment to redefining immersive experiences and enhancing everyday usability through advanced AR solutions.

RayNeo Air 3s: Lightweight XR for Seamless Daily Use
The RayNeo Air 3s redefines the landscape of lightweight XR glasses, seamlessly merging portability with state-of-the-art display technology. Equipped with 3840 Hz high-frequency dimming, a staggering 200,000:1 contrast ratio, and a 154% sRGB color gamut, the Air 3s delivers breathtaking image quality, setting a new benchmark for birdbath display solutions. Its expansive 201-inch virtual screen and TÜV Rheinland-certified eye comfort technology ensure an immersive yet comfortable experience, making it ideal for all-day wear.

According to import-export database records obtained by WinFuture, we are informed that Qualcomm is testing an 18-core Snapdragon X2 Elite processor designated SC8480XP, representing a 50% increase in core count over the current 12-core Snapdragon X Elite. The silicon, developed under the "Project Glymur" codename, incorporates Oryon V3 architecture in what documentation describes as a "high-TDP" implementation exceeding the current generation's 80 W thermal envelope. Test platforms pair the processor with 48 GB of SK Hynix RAM and 1 TB NVMe storage. Reference documentation suggests integration as a system-in-package (SiP), potentially offering CPU and memory in a unified package, much like Intel's Lunar Lake and Apple M-series processors. Thermal management testing includes configurations with 120 mm AIO cooling solutions typical in desktop applications, though form factor targets remain unspecified.

Whether homogeneous high-performance cores or heterogeneous clusters, core architecture details remain undisclosed. Market positioning appears focused on high-TDP environments, suggesting that this new wave of Arm-based Windows processors plans to fight more aggressively in the AI PC space, which will see even NVIDIA join it in the coming months. Internal documentation potentially references "Snapdragon X2 Ultra Premium" branding, though the final nomenclature remains unconfirmed. Volume availability is not expected until 2026, allowing time for platform optimization and validation. Qualcomm has gathered feedback from its Snapdragon X Elite initial launch and working to improve performance and app compatibility for Windows-on-Arm platforms.

Ahead of Mobile World Congress 2025, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. and IBM (NYSE: IBM) announced an expanded collaboration to drive enterprise-grade generative artificial intelligence (AI) solutions across edge and cloud devices designed to enable increased immediacy, privacy, reliability, personalization, and reduced cost and energy consumption. Through this collaboration, the companies plan to integrate watsonx.governance for generative AI solutions powered by Qualcomm Technologies' platforms, and enable support for IBM's Granite models through the Qualcomm AI Inference Suite and Qualcomm AI Hub.

"At Qualcomm Technologies, we are excited to join forces with IBM to deliver cutting-edge, enterprise-grade generative AI solutions for devices across the edge and cloud," said Durga Malladi, senior vice president and general manager, technology planning and edge solutions, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. "This collaboration enables businesses to deploy AI solutions that are not only fast and personalized but also come with robust governance, monitoring, and decision-making capabilities, with the ability to enhance the overall reliability of AI from edge to cloud."

Qualcomm has introduced "Dragonwing," a new brand portfolio consolidating its non-Snapdragon products for industrial applications. The portfolio encompasses industrial IoT, networking, and cellular infrastructure solutions previously marketed under various product lines. The Dragonwing stack integrates AI processing capabilities with low-power computing and connectivity technologies optimized for edge deployment. Target applications include industrial robotics, specialized cameras, industrial handhelds, and unmanned aerial systems. Qualcomm aims to position these solutions in sectors including energy utilities, manufacturing, retail, supply chain, and telecommunications infrastructure.

The branding effort marks a strategic diversification beyond Qualcomm's consumer-focused Snapdragon line. Visually, Dragonwing adopts a purple color scheme that combines elements from Qualcomm's corporate identity with a stylized dragon icon. The portfolio will debut at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona (March 3-7) and Embedded World in Nuremberg (March 11-13). Although limited, for now, information about Dragonwing processors and solutions should appear soon and give an insight into interesting low-power solutions that will power the next stage of the industrial revolution. Qualcomm has decided to use its mobile development experience and know-how to tap a large market, and solid branding will help it differentiate from competitors instead of the generic product names used in the past. Additionally, Qualcomm's Dragonwing products are mostly focused on more mature nodes like 14 nm and larger, instead of chasing the 3 nm and smaller like its Snapdragon product portfolio.

The late 2024 news cycle suggested that Samsung's semiconductor business was going through tough times. Alleged yield problems—affecting the 3 nm Gate-All-Around (GAA) process—were highlighted last November. Fast-forward to January 2025; the South Korean megacorp has launched its cutting-edge Galaxy S25 smartphone series. The entire lineup of newly unveiled flagship smartphones contains Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Elite mobile chipsets; the Southern Californian chip designer is reportedly pulling in a tidy sum from this partnership. Fresh reports from South Korean news outlets indicate that Samsung System LSI employees have received an "encouraging" email from their boss, regarding current production predicaments.

Businesskorea and Sedaily reports include quotes extracted from the (apparently) leaked internal memo. LSI division president, Park Yong-in, reportedly stated: "we are currently in a situation where we have to develop two flagship products at the same time." Both articles allege that Samsung's semiconductor teams are expected to "cultivate roots and withstand storms." Industry watchdogs believe that the aforementioned "flagship products" are the Exynos 2500 mobile chipset, and Samsung Electronic's next-gen Galaxy S26 smartphone family. Earlier this month, we heard whispers about the much-delayed in-house chip design being readied (with a 2 nm process) for a possible late 2025 launch, inside unannounced Galaxy Z Flip 7 and Fold 7 devices. Park disclosed anticipated incoming obstacles in 2025: "last year's business division profit was higher than expected, but this was a temporary phenomenon...Looking at the entire business division, there will be monthly surpluses and deficits." Last month, inside sources proposed the notion that foundry investments were slashed in half.

Reports from Financial Times suggest Arm has plans to create its own CPU, set to hit the market in 2025 with Meta Platforms said to be one of the first customers. The chip is said to be a CPU for data center servers, with TSMC handling the manufacturing. However, when the Financial Times asked about this, SoftBank (the majority owner of Arm) and Meta stayed quiet, while Arm didn't give a statement. A Nikkei report from May 2024 suggested that a prototype AI processor chip would be completed by spring 2025 and available for sale by fall 2025, so the latest information from the Financial Times report feels like a confirmation of previous rumors.

Right now, Arm makes money by letting others use its instruction set and core designs to make their own chips. This new move could mean Arm will compete with its current customers. Sources in the industry say Arm is trying to win business from Qualcomm, with rumors that Arm has been bringing in executives from companies it works with to help develop this chip. While Qualcomm had talked in the past about giving Meta a data center CPU using Arm's design, it looks like Arm has won at least some of that deal. However, no technical or specification details are available currently for Arm's 1st in-house server CPU.

Qualcomm has announced its latest mid-range offering, dubbed the Snapdragon 6 Gen 4. Compared to its predecessor, the Snapdragon 6 Gen 3, the improvements on the CPU side are rather modest, with Qualcomm claiming an 11% improvement. The CPU, now based on TSMC N4, packs four ARMv9-based Cortex-A720 P-cores, along with four Cortex-A520 E-cores, making it an 8-core system as tradition. On the GPU side, however, a substantial 29% improvement has been asserted, although the specifics remain under wraps as of this writing.

The chipset can be paired with up to 16 GB of LPDDR5-3200 memory, and displays up to FHD+ at 144 Hz are supported. INT4 support is also present the new NPU, which should allow for decent on-device AI capabilities. Gaming performance should also witness a decent jump, thanks to the aforementioned GPU improvement, paired with Game Super Resolution (upscaling) and Frame Motion Engine (frame generation, every other frame). For connectivity, Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.4, and 5G (mm Wave, sub-6 GHz) are present. Up to 200 MP single-camera systems are supported, with Snapdragon's LLV (Low Light Vision) technology, Of course, being a budget segment SoC, it would be futile to expect high-end photography capabilities. As for videography, 4k30 and 1080p120 are supported, along with HLG and HDR10.