There are only a handful of Android devices powered by Qualcomm's ultra low-end 200x series processors, but that might change soon. Today, the company announced its Qualcomm 215 mobile platform (the Snapdragon name is no longer used on the 200x series), which brings more powerful ARM cores and additional features to the bottom of Qualcomm's CPU lineup.
There are several major improvements in the 215 over previous 200x chips, which shouldn't be much of a surprise — the last entry in the lineup was released back in 2015. The Qualcomm 215 is equipped with faster ARM Cortex-A53 cores, giving it up to 50% better performance than earlier 200x chips. That also makes the 215 the first chip in the low-end lineup to be fully 64-bit.
Other new features compared to the 210 include dual ISPs (for dual camera support), photo capturing up to 13MP, 1080p video capture, a Hexagon DSP for audio and sensor processing, support for dual SIM with dual VoLTE, Wi-Fi 802.11ac, and NFC.
All those features means the 215 should be a decent enough chip for low-end Android phones — perhaps Qualcomm wants to take a bigger bite out of Mediatek's market share. The first devices with the new chip will be available in the second half of this year.
PRESS RELEASE
Qualcomm Technologies, Inc., a subsidiary of Qualcomm Incorporated (NASDAQ: QCOM), announced the newest addition to its 2-series, the Qualcomm® 215 Mobile Platform. This platform aims to bring leading mobile experiences to entry-level smartphone buyers who need reliable, lasting performance.
“Featuring a 64-bit CPU and dual-ISPs, the Qualcomm 215 Mobile Platform is a significant milestone for the expansion of the entire mobile industry,” said Kedar Kondap, vice president of product management, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. “We’re raising the bar for mass market devices and enabling experiences that were never before possible in the 2-series.
Performance and Battery Life [1]
Featuring four ARM Cortex-A53 cores, Qualcomm 215 is designed to deliver up to 50% increased CPU performance compared to the previous generation. This introduction of the first 64-bit CPU in the 2-series signifies a big boost in performance and offers better device longevity via support for modern 64-bit applications. In order to deliver lasting performance, Qualcomm 215 features an integrated Qualcomm® Hexagon™ DSP engineered to support up to 5+ days of music playback, as well as Qualcomm® Adreno™ 308 GPU, display and video processing engines supporting up to 10+ hours of video playback. Qualcomm 215 also supports Qualcomm® Quick Charge™ technology, which is engineered to allow users to charge up to 75% faster than traditional implementations, allowing for lower power and thermal dissipation, and reduced charge times, without virtually any performance tradeoffs.
Qualcomm 215 features dual ISPs, a first in the 2-series, which means it can support dual camera. With support from our 3rd party ecosystem, dual cameras can enable optical zoom and depth sensing, resulting in overall improved detail rich photos. It’s capable of capturing images up to 13 megapixels photos. The Qualcomm 215 is the first to support HD+ resolution displays in the 2-series where it boasts wider aspect ratios so users can browse more, watch more and have a better all-around viewing experience. And thanks to the Adreno 308 GPU, Qualcomm 215 boosts up to 28% increased gaming performance compared to the previous generation enabling smooth graphics for casual gaming.
For superior cellular connectivity at home or on the go, the Qualcomm 215 featuring the integrated Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ X5 modem supports LTE Cat 4 with Carrier Aggregation for faster data rates and download speeds up to 150Mbps. This is the first platform in the 2-series to support EVS Voice calls (“Ultra HD Voice Calls”) and Dual Sim with Dual Voice-over-LTE (VoLTE) allowing for the freedom to use multiple SIMs for concurrent high-quality 4G LTE voice and data, separation of work and personal accounts, and optimize cellular connectivity costs taking advantage of multiple plans.
The Qualcomm 215 Mobile Platform debuts the following “firsts” in the 2-series:
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64-bit CPU
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Dual-ISP
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Supports up to 13MP photo capture
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Support for Full HD (1080p) video capture
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Support for HD+ resolution display
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Hexagon DSP for audio and sensor processing
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Support for Dual SIM with Dual VoLTE
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EVS voice calls
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Wi-Fi 802.11ac
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Support for NFC Payments on Android
“We are excited to continue to work with Qualcomm Technologies to expand our smartphone product portfolio and raise the bar for mass market devices by leveraging their latest leading technologies in the Qualcomm 215 Mobile platform,” said Ms. Le Thi Thu Thuy, vice president, Vingroup. “We look forward to working together to bring exciting and improved mobile experiences to more consumers around the world.”
Commercial devices based on Qualcomm 215 are expected to be available in second half 2019. For more information and specifications for these mobile platforms, visit link.
Qualcomm invents breakthrough technologies that transform how the world computes, connects and communicates. When we connected the phone to the Internet, the mobile revolution was born. Today, our inventions are the foundation for life-changing products, experiences, and industries. As we lead the world to 5G, we envision this next big change in cellular technology spurring a new era of intelligent, connected devices and enabling new opportunities in connected cars, remote delivery of health care services, and the IoT — including smart cities, smart homes, and wearables. Qualcomm Technologies, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Qualcomm Incorporated, operates, along with its subsidiaries, substantially all of our engineering, research and development functions, and substantially all of our products and services businesses, including the QCT semiconductor business. For more information, visit Qualcomm’s website, OnQ blog, Twitter and Facebook pages.
