Tag: qualcomm

The iPhone 8 has a gigabit LTE modem (updated)

At first blush, iFixit’s tech autopsy on the iPhone 8 didn’t reveal anything particularly notable, besides some different screws and a way to remove the glass backing. So far, so meh. But then when it came to the laundry list of chips and modems all crammed inside Apple’s latest smartphones, we noticed something. It looks like the company has made its first gigabit LTE phone , capable of substantially faster download speeds. Or at least, the iPhone 8 could have, if it had everything else. (Update : As some readers have pointed out, the iPhone 8 (according to iFixit’s teardown) doesn’t appear to have the antennas necessary to harness gigabit LTE. We’ve updated this post to reflect that. Apologies for the mistake.) The latest iPhones do offer support for more LTE bands and networks ( depending on your model ) than ever before, but its rivals appear to be ahead when it comes to gigabit LTE. Samsung’s Galaxy S8, Note 8 phones and even the Essential phone all pack gigabit LTE modems, ready to go. It’ll be a mainstay of nearly all new phones going forward, and Apple’s new phone, available today, starts behind its biggest competitor. Phone carriers haven’t initiated the roll-out of this next-generation LTE. However, all the major US phone networks are all promising to launch gigabit LTE services by the end of 2017. So why didn’t Apple add gigabit LTE to its latest phones? Sources suggest that Apple tapped both Qualcomm and Intel for modems for this year’s iPhones. Because of this, Bloomberg sources back in June , suggested that any gigabit LTE functionality would be disabled, as some phones would be compatible, those with Qualcomm modems, while others (with Intel modems) wouldn’t. Intel does have a gigabit LTE modem in the works — it apparently wasn’t ready for this round of iPhones. There’s also some corporate politics here. In the middle of several of legal scuffles, Qualcomm has alleged that Apple would prevent Qualcomm-equipped iPhones from performing at full capacity so they would work just like Intel versions. For now, your new iPhone 8 can handle all the current LTE services you’re using. It may not, however, be ready for the next wave of upgraded networks at a time when rivals are primed and ready. Source: iFixit

More:
The iPhone 8 has a gigabit LTE modem (updated)

Qualcomm pays BlackBerry $940 million in royalty spat

Qualcomm hasn’t been very successful with its licensing practices. It’s gotten into trouble in South Korea for charging phone makers over an “unnecessarily broad set of patents” It has also been dealing with lawsuits from the FTC and Apple for similar tactics. Qualcomm was ordered to pay BlackBerry $815 million in an arbitration settlement last April. BlackBerry announced today that the two companies have reached a final agreement amount of $940 miillion, which includes the original arbitration amount along with interst and attorneys’ fees. The release says that Qualcomm will pay the full amount before the end of May. BlackBerry has been trying to change its fortune after getting out of phone design . It brought in $286 million in revenue last quarter, making this $940 million settlement a much needed infusion of cash to can help the beleaguered company pivot towards self-driving cars . For its part, Qualcomm seems to be weathering the storm of lawsuits and anti-trust fines with countersuits and settlements like the current BlackBerry agreement. Qualcomm’s chips power a large number of mobile devices, with a Snapdragon system-on-chips in high-end Android phones. The company also continues to expand to as many other devices as possible, including IoT and connected cars . We’ve reached out to Qualcomm for comment on this story and will update when we hear back. Source: Blackberry

More:
Qualcomm pays BlackBerry $940 million in royalty spat

Windows 10 is coming to Qualcomm’s Snapdragon mobile chips

Microsoft’s first attempt at bringing Windows to ARM-powered machines was, shall we say, not a good idea . But perhaps the second time’s the charm. Microsoft and Qualcomm just announced that Windows 10 is coming to the next generation of Snapdragon mobile processors. And to be clear, they’re referring to the full version of the OS, with support for legacy Win32 software and universal Windows apps. It won’t be a stripped-down affair like Windows RT. Both companies are being vague about specifics, but in short you can expect Snapdragon-powered Windows 10 devices to be incredibly light and power efficient. And since those chips typically appear in mobile devices, they also have the added benefit of packing in cellular radios. As for availability, Qualcomm says the first Windows 10 Snapdragon PCs could arrive “as early as next year.” Perhaps they’re just hedging their bets, but the cynic in me thinks that really means we won’t see them until 2018.

View article:
Windows 10 is coming to Qualcomm’s Snapdragon mobile chips

Millions of Android devices have flawed full disk encryption

Hackers can use brute force to break into tens of millions of Android devices using full disk encryption, thanks to a series of security issues linked specifically to Android kernel flaws and Qualcomm processors, Neowin reports. The vulnerabilities were uncovered by security researcher Gal Beniamini , who is working with Google and Qualcomm to patch the problems — and some of the flaws have already been addressed. However, a few of the issues may not be patchable, instead requiring new hardware, the report says. Any phone using Android 5.0 or later uses full disk encryption, the same security feature at the heart of Apple’s recent fight with the FBI . Full disk encryption makes all data on a device unrecognizable without a unique key. Even though modern Android devices use this security feature, Beniamini’s research found that an attacker can exploit kernel flaws and vulnerabilities in some of Qualcomm’s security measures to get that encryption key. Then, all that stands between the hacker and a device’s information is a password. Since any attack on an Android device would still require brute force and additional hacking methods, this isn’t an immediate security threat for a majority of users. But, it is notable for those who put their complete trust in full disk encryption. We’ve reached out to Qualcomm for comment on the flaw and will update this story as the company responds. Update: A Qualcomm spokesperson gave Engadget the following comment: “Providing technologies that support robust security and privacy is a priority for Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. (QTI). QTI continues to work proactively both internally as well as with security researchers such as Gal Beniamini to identify and address potential security vulnerabilities. The two security vulnerabilities (CVE-2015-6639 and CVE-2016-2431) discussed in Beniamini’s June 30 blog post were also discovered internally and patches were made available to our customers and partners. We have and will continue to work with Google and the Android ecosystem to help address security vulnerabilities and to recommend improvements to the Android ecosystem to enhance security overall.” Source: Gal Beniamini

More here:
Millions of Android devices have flawed full disk encryption

Bloomberg: Microsoft Readying Small Qualcomm and Intel Powered Surfaces

Bloomberg claims that Microsoft is readying a new, smaller version of its Surface tablet which will use Qualcomm chips and another, larger device that will be powered by Intel silicon. Read more…

Originally posted here:
Bloomberg: Microsoft Readying Small Qualcomm and Intel Powered Surfaces

Your Coffee Shop’s Wi-Fi Speeds Are About to Triple

If you’ve ever tried to get work done at a coffee shop during rush hour, you know that even something as simple as a Google Search can be soul-crushingly slow. Thanks to a new Wi-Fi technology from Qualcomm , though, all that may be about to change. Read more…        

View article:
Your Coffee Shop’s Wi-Fi Speeds Are About to Triple

The Blistering New Snapdragon 805 Is Going to 4K All of the Things

The zippy Snapdragon 800 pushes pixels beautifully on gadgets like the Nexus 5 and the Kindle Fire HDX, but now there’s a new kid on the block. Qualcomm just announced its Snapdragon 805 complete with 4K powers, and it’s coming to devices starting next year . Read more…        

More:
The Blistering New Snapdragon 805 Is Going to 4K All of the Things

Qualcomm’s global LTE chip could help end iPhone fragmentation

Qualcomm yesterday unveiled a new series of chips designed to solve one of the nagging problems faced by smartphone manufacturers and smartphone users: a single phone isn’t capable of hopping on any cellular network. This difficulty caused Apple to release three versions of the iPhone 5, with support for different LTE networks. As a result, customers who frequently travel overseas had to think hard about which version of the iPhone they would buy, since different countries and carriers use different cellular bands. The iPhone uses Qualcomm chips . LTE has exacerbated this cellular fragmentation, Qualcomm said. “The wide range of radio frequencies used to implement 2G, 3G, and 4G LTE networks globally presents an ongoing challenge for mobile device designers,” Qualcomm Senior VP Alex Katouzian said in the company’s announcement . “Where 2G and 3G technologies each have been implemented on four to five different RF bands globally, the inclusion of LTE brings the total number of cellular bands to approximately 40.” Read 4 remaining paragraphs | Comments

Visit link:
Qualcomm’s global LTE chip could help end iPhone fragmentation