Qualcomm launches a bunch of IoT chips

Building on the launch of its Aware platform, US mobile chip giant Qualcomm has fleshed out its IoT proposition with no less than four new SoCs.

For some reason, Qualcomm has taken to calling its chips ‘solutions’, at least in this context. On top of the established practice of calling products solutions to make them sound like a bigger deal, this is presumably in reference to the Aware platform, which Qualcomm launched just before Mobile World Congress and which it was keen to promote at the event.

“Qualcomm Technologies is uniquely positioned to take the IoT ecosystem forward,” said Dev Singh, vice president, business development and head of building, enterprise & industrial automation, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. “Our new solutions bring together the industry’s leading technologies across edge AI processing, innovative power efficiency, crystal-clear video, 5G connectivity, and more to fuel the next-generation of resilient, high-performing IoT applications.”

Specifically, Qualcomm has launched four chips solutions. The QCS8550 and QCM8550 are the higher powered ones, designed for uses such as drones and cloud gaming. The only difference seems to be that the ‘M’ variant has an embedded modem. If you’re looking for IoT optimised chips for your handheld devices, including Android ones, then the QCS4490 and QCM4490 might do the trick.

Quite a few partners were listed in the announcement and it seems they’re not obliged to go all-in with the Aware platform to get hold of any of the new chips. Qualcomm likes to coincide its launches with trade shows and this one was made at Hannover Messe 2023, a general industry show that seems to be what CeBIT turned into. Apparently there are 5G drones and everything.

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