Snapdragon is the brand name for a family of integrated circuit (IC) products designed and marketed by Qualcomm. The lineup includes systems on chip (SoCs), standalone cellular modems, and wireless network interface controllers (NICs). Snapdragon-branded SoCs are engineered to power embedded systems such as smartphones, laptops, and vehicles, combining a central processing unit (CPU), a graphics processing unit (GPU), various digital signal processors (DSPs), and often a cellular modem into a single package for compactness and efficiency. These chips can run operating systems with graphical user interfaces like Android and Windows, and process signals from microphones, cameras, and wireless radios.
The integrated CPU in Snapdragon SoCs is based on the ARM architecture, consisting of one or more cores. These cores are either licensed IP cores developed by ARM Holdings or in-house designs created by Qualcomm itself. Multiple core types may be used simultaneously, such as in a big.LITTLE configuration. The integrated Adreno GPU and cellular modem, when present, are always developed in-house by Qualcomm.
History
Pre-release
Qualcomm announced the development of its Scorpion central processing unit (CPU) in November 2007. The Snapdragon system on chip (SoC) was first announced in November 2006, featuring the Scorpion processor along with other semiconductors, including Qualcomm's first custom Hexagon digital signal processor (DSP). According to a Qualcomm spokesperson, the name "Snapdragon" was chosen because "Snap and Dragon sounded fast and fierce." In December 2006, Qualcomm acquired Airgo Networks, intending to integrate Airgo's 802.11a/b/g and 802.11n Wi-Fi technology into the Snapdragon product suite. Early versions of the Scorpion core had a design similar to ARM's Cortex-A8.
2007–2013
The first Snapdragon chip was released in November 2007. CNET highlighted its relatively high 1 GHz CPU clock speed as the product's "claim to fame," at a time when contemporary smartphone processors commonly ran at 500 MHz. The chip supported display output up to 720p resolution, 3D graphics rendering, and up to 12-megapixel cameras. By November 2008, 15 device manufacturers had embedded Snapdragon chips in their consumer electronics.
In November 2008, Qualcomm showcased a tech demo processor and a netbook powered by Snapdragon. The processor consumed less power than the contemporary Intel Atom Z500, and the netbook used 1.5 GHz processors, targeting developing markets. In May 2009, Qualcomm collaborated with Sun to bring Snapdragon-specific optimizations to Java SE. Qualcomm began using a 45 nm process for SoC production in late 2009.
By June 2010, Snapdragon chips were incorporated into 120 product designs in development. In November 2010, Qualcomm announced the MSM8960 for LTE networks. Apple, which held a dominant smartphone market position, did not incorporate Snapdragon into any of its products, so Snapdragon's success relied on competing Android phones. Support for Windows Phone 7 was added in October 2010. By 2011, Snapdragon was embedded in Hewlett Packard's WebOS devices and held a 50% market share of the $7.9 billion smartphone processor market. As of July 2014, Snapdragon chips were embedded in 41% of smartphones.
Snapdragon chips also found use in Android-based smartwatches and vehicles such as the Maserati Quattroporte and Cadillac XTS. In early 2011, Qualcomm announced Krait, an in-house CPU microarchitecture supporting the ARM v7 instruction set. SoCs featuring Krait were named S4 and supported asynchronous symmetrical multi-processing (aSMP), allowing each core to adjust its clock speed and voltage based on device activity to optimize battery usage. Prior models were renamed S1, S2, and S3 to distinguish generations.
The S4-based generation began shipping with the MSM8960 in February 2012. In overall system benchmarks, the 8960 scored 907, compared to 528 and 658 for the Galaxy Nexus and HTC Rezound, respectively. In a Quadrant benchmark test, a dual-core Krait processor scored 4,952, while the quad-core Tegra 3 scored just under 4,000. The quad-core version, APQ8064, became available in July 2012 and was the first Snapdragon SoC to use the Adreno 320 GPU.
In July 2011, Qualcomm acquired certain assets from GestureTek to incorporate gesture recognition intellectual property into Snapdragon SoCs. In mid-2012, Qualcomm announced the Snapdragon software development kit (SDK) for Android at the Uplinq developer conference and collaborated with Microsoft to optimize Windows Phone 8 for Snapdragon semiconductors. As of July 2014, Android's market share had grown to 84.6%, and Snapdragon powered 41% of smartphones. Snapdragon SoCs were also used in most Windows phones and most phones entering the market in mid-2013.
At the 2013 Consumer Electronics Show, Qualcomm announced the Snapdragon 800 and renamed prior models into the 200, 400, and 600 series.
2014–present
The debut of Apple's 64-bit A7 chip in the iPhone 5S forced Qualcomm to rush a competing 64-bit solution, despite the capable performance of the Snapdragon 800/801/805, since its existing Krait cores were only 32-bit. The first 64-bit SoCs, the Snapdragon 808 and 810, were rushed to market in 2014 using Cortex-A57 and Cortex-A53 cores. They suffered from overheating and throttling, particularly the 810, leading Samsung to drop Snapdragon for its Galaxy S6 flagship phone.
The entry-level 200 series expanded with six new processors using 28 nm manufacturing and dual- or quad-core options in June 2013. In February 2015, Qualcomm re-branded its standalone modem products under the Snapdragon name, distinguishing them from SoCs with an "x" designation, such as the X7 or X12 modem.
In early 2016, Qualcomm launched the Snapdragon 820, an ARM 64-bit quad-core processor using in-house Kryo cores, with a higher-clocked variant as the Snapdragon 821. The SoC used Samsung's 14 nm FinFET process. Alongside, Qualcomm released the Neural Processing Engine SDK, supporting AI acceleration.
The first Snapdragon modem for 5G networks, the X50, was announced in October 2016 and released in late 2019. The octa-core Snapdragon 835 was announced on 17 November 2016, using modified Cortex-A73 and A53 cores and built on Samsung's 10 nm FinFET process.
At Computex 2017 in May, Qualcomm and Microsoft announced plans for Snapdragon-based laptops running Windows 10. Qualcomm partnered with HP, Lenovo, and Asus to release slim portables and 2-in-1 devices powered by the Snapdragon 835.
Technology
CPU Architecture
Snapdragon SoCs have used a variety of CPU cores over the years. Early models used Scorpion cores, followed by Krait, then a mix of ARM Cortex cores and in-house Kryo cores. The shift to 64-bit computing came with the Snapdragon 808 and 810, which used Cortex-A57 and A53. Later, Kryo cores became standard, offering custom performance and efficiency tuning.
GPU and DSP
The Adreno GPU, developed in-house, handles graphics rendering and compute tasks. Hexagon DSPs process audio, sensor, and camera data efficiently. These components are integrated into the SoC to reduce power consumption and latency.
Modem and Connectivity
Snapdragon SoCs often include integrated cellular modems, supporting technologies from 3G to 5G. Standalone Snapdragon modems, like the X50, are also available. Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity are typically integrated, with support for the latest standards.
AI Acceleration
Modern Snapdragon SoCs include dedicated AI accelerators, such as the Hexagon Tensor Accelerator, enabling on-device machine learning and deep learning tasks. The Neural Processing Engine SDK provides tools for developers to leverage these capabilities, supporting applications like image recognition and natural language processing.
Applications
Smartphones and Tablets
Snapdragon chips power a vast array of Android smartphones and tablets, from budget to flagship models. They are also used in Windows tablets and 2-in-1 devices.
Laptops and PCs
With the Snapdragon 835 and later models, Qualcomm entered the Windows laptop market, offering always-connected PCs with long battery life and integrated LTE or 5G.
Automotive
Snapdragon SoCs are used in vehicle infotainment systems, advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS), and telematics. Examples include the Maserati Quattroporte and Cadillac XTS.
Wearables and IoT
Snapdragon chips are found in smartwatches, fitness trackers, and other Internet of Things (IoT) devices, providing processing power and connectivity in compact form factors.
Market and Competition
Snapdragon competes with mobile SoCs from Samsung (Exynos), Apple (A-series and M-series), Intel (for PCs), and AMD (for PCs). In the smartphone market, Snapdragon holds a significant share, especially in the Android segment. Its integrated modems and AI capabilities are key differentiators.
See Also
References
This article is based on information from public sources, including Wikipedia (CC BY-SA).