Qualcomm plans M1 chip killer — thanks to ex-Apple employees

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Qualcomm plans M1 scrap killer — thanks to ex-Apple employees

(Image credit: Qualcomm)

While Qualcomm makes chips that appear in a handful of Windows devices — including the Surface Pro X — information technology'southward fair to say that the company isn't as prominent on laptops as it is in the world of mobile, where information technology powers all of the best Android phones.

Simply the visitor'due south new CEO, Cristiano Amon, has outlined his plans to change that in an interview with Reuters. He told the publication that he believes Qualcomm can design the best fleck on the market place, and the programme to take on both Intel and Apple tree's M1 laptops intriguingly hinges on the acquisition of a visitor started by some of Apple tree's own chip building alumni.

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Earlier this year, when Amon was however head of Qualcomm's chip division, the company announced the $1.iv billion acquisition of Nuvia, a startup founded by three one-time Apple tree engineers with a background in chip design. The plan is to begin selling Nuvia-designed laptop fries next year, with the hope that it can have a seize with teeth out of both Apple and Intel in the process.

Having previously sold PC chips using designs licensed from ARM, this is quite a big modify in strategic management, but according to Amon, a necessary one.

"We needed to have the leading operation for a bombardment-powered device," Amon told Reuters. "If Arm, which nosotros've had a relationship with for years, eventually develops a CPU that's better than what we can build ourselves, then nosotros always have the option to license from Arm."

Battery life is certainly an expanse where Apple has accomplished great gains past switching to its own fries. Last year's M1 powered MacBook Air lasted fourteen hours and 41 minutes in our spider web surfing bombardment exam, while the M1 MacBook Pro did even improve with 16 hours and 32 minutes. That compares to 9:31 and 10:21 on the corresponding previous models.

The report touches on Qualcomm's feel of 5G and the possibility of putting that connectivity in laptops, which would put information technology at a real advantage over Apple. To date, Apple hasn't added 5G or LTE to whatsoever of its laptops — M1 or otherwise — though the latest M1 powered iPad Pro does have a 5G option available.  Apple is also in the process of developing its own 5G modems.

Amon says that the chips will be destined for consumer laptops, rather than data centers, but that the visitor isn't averse to licensing Nuvia designs to companies interested in edifice chips for cloud computing systems.

With AMD making inroads with more than and more laptop makers and Qualcomm stepping upwardly its game, the next year or two should be highly competitive. And that's practiced for consumers.

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Freelance contributor Alan has been writing about tech for over a decade, covering phones, drones and everything in betwixt. Previously Deputy Editor of tech site Alphr, his words are found all over the spider web and in the occasional magazine too. When not weighing up the pros and cons of the latest smartwatch, you'll probably find him tackling his ever-growing games excess. Or, more likely, playing Spelunky for the millionth time.

Source: https://www.tomsguide.com/news/qualcomm-plans-m1-chip-killer-thanks-to-ex-apple-employees

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