Qualcomm is launching a new chip designed for use in entry-level phones for emerging markets. It’s called the Qualcomm 205 Mobile Platform, and it’s a 1.1 GHz dual-core processor with an integrated 4G LTE Cat 4 modem with support for download speeds up to 150 Mbps and upload speeds as high as 50 Mbps.
That’s pretty much the chip’s most impressive feature. It’s definitely an entry-level processor, but it could help bring high-speed mobile data to cheap phones.
The Qualcomm Mobile 205 system on a chip also supports 2G and 3G networks and features support for dual SIM phones. It also features 802.11b/g/n WiFi, Bluetooth 4.1, and FM radio.
Other features include support for 3MP rear and 3MP front cameras, VGA displays, and Linux-based operating systems. See what I mean about this being an entry-level chip?
The good news is that it’s energy-efficient. Qualcomm says phones featuring this chip should be able to get up to 20 hours of talk time, 86 hous of music playback, and 45 days of standby time.
And the Qualcomm Mobile 205 SoC is pin-compatible with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 210 and Snapdragon 212 chips, which could make it easy for manufactures to offer multiple models of a single phone design, one with the cheaper Qualcomm Mobile 205 chip, and one with a Snapdragon 210/212 processor.
