Qualcomm Developing Very Low-End Chip Dubbed QM215

The US chip manufacturer Qualcomm apparently works on a new, even cheaper platform for entry-level smartphones. On the one hand, it wants to serve the Android Go program, but on the other hand, it wants to address still untapped markets stronger.

In import/export databases and in Qualcomm’s proprietary developer platforms, a new ARM platform called Qualcomm QM215 has been appearing for several weeks. It is noticeable that it comes without the so-called ‘S’ in the model number. So Qualcomm may want to market the new chip outside of the Snapdragon series. One reason for this could be the focus on the very bottom of the market.

So far, relatively little is known, but the Qualcomm QM215 seems to be a quad-core chip with a 1.3GHz CPU clock speed and a 650MHz graphics unit. The Qualcomm QM215 is also closely related to the Snapdragon 410 and the Snapdragon 425. So probably the company will use the basics of these older SoCs and provide them with updated peripheral technology, such as a faster modem and the like.

Qualcomm is already testing reference designs for smartphones with the new QM215. Moreover, it’s reported at least one well-known smartphone maker is developing a corresponding device. Qualcomm’s developer sets are equipped with one or two gigabytes of LPDDR3 memory and 8 or 16 gigabytes of internal flash memory. In addition, those devices are said to sport an LCD panel with an HD+ resolution.

Currently, the new SoC is difficult to classify, but it could ultimately come on the market as Qualcomm Mobile 215 Platform. Testing in devices with such a small capacity of memory suggests that they really want to lay the foundations for a new generation of low-cost smartphones – to compete better in markets such as India, South America, and Africa with other chip suppliers such as MediaTek.

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