Qualcomm sets a date to launch next Snapdragon flagship to challenge Google Tensor

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Qualcomm Snapdragon 888
Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 (Image credit: Qualcomm)

What you need to know

  • Qualcomm Tech Summit has been scheduled for November 30 in Hawaii.
  • The chip manufacturer is set to launch the next-generation flagship Snapdragon chipset.
  • Xiaomi is expected to be the first to launch a phone with the new chip.

The dates for the Qualcomm Tech Summit were revealed on Monday, where the company is expected to unveil the successor to the Snapdragon 888 platform.

The event will take place from November 30 to December 1 in Hawaii, where the summit is usually held.

Qualcomm teases that it will "debut the latest Snapdragon premium tier mobile platform," which is likely to be the Snapdragon 898 (or 895 as some rumors have called it). This chip is expected to power the best Android phones in 2022 and will go head-to-head with Samsung's next-gen Exynos chip and Google Tensor.

"Snapdragon remains at the center of delivering premium mobile experiences," says president and CEO Christiano Amon in a statement. The company will also discuss innovations in AI, gaming, 5G, and more.

The company has playfully teased Google in the past for moving away from Snapdragon in the latest Pixel 6. Unlike Tensor, which uses a 2x2x4 design, Qualcomm is expected to stick with its 1x3x4 design and will likely use updated cores for better power and efficiency.

Qualcomm says companies including Lenovo, Microsoft, Motorola, and Xiaomi will be in attendance. At the same time rumors suggest that Xiaomi might be the first to launch a phone with the new chipset before the end of the year.

Meanwhile, Motorola is also rumored to launch a phone with the new chip.

Qualcomm chips continue to sell well despite the ongoing semiconductor shortage, and the company expects the trend to continue in the following quarters. This might be especially true if Samsung decides to power the Galaxy S22 lineup exclusively with Snapdragon chipsets as rumors suggest.

This would be in contrast to talk of Samsung selling more phones with its own Exynos chipsets, although that could refer only to lower-end devices.

Qualcomm is also expected to unveil details about its product vision and strategy at its November 16 Investor Day event.

The Tech Summit will be livestreamed on November 30 and December 1 at 3 p.m. PST/6 p.m. EST via Qualcomm's website, Twitter account, and YouTube page.

Derrek Lee
Derrek Lee
Managing Editor

Derrek is the managing editor of Android Central, helping to guide the site's editorial content and direction to reach and resonate with readers, old and new, who are just as passionate about tech as we are. He's been obsessed with mobile technology since he was 12, when he discovered the Nokia N90, and his love of flip phones and new form factors continues to this day. As a fitness enthusiast, he has always been curious about the intersection of tech and fitness. When he's not working, he's probably working out.