Qualcomm is playing big on the spreading of LTE connectivity, introducing the Zeroth engine that will work towards majorly enhancing global LTE support alongside retaining battery life.
Fabless semiconductor company, Qualcomm today unveiled its X12 LTE modem, that will aid connectivity in devices powered by the upcoming Snapdragon 820 chipset. The X12 LTE Modem will implement CAT 6 LTE Advanced band, taking downlink speeds up to 600Mbps, and uplink speeds of upto 150Mbps. Additionally, the X12 LTE Modem will be integrated with Qualcomm’s Haven security system and Zeroth engine.
Qualcomm is pushing majorly for global LTE support, with tri-band LTE support and implementing LTE modems in its lower-rung Snapdragon 410 and 210 processors. It claimed a zero VoLTE (Voice over LTE) call drop rate, achieved by implementing different antenna designs, namely Close-link Antenna Tube to negate the impact of hand placement over a cellphone’s antenna, and Switched Antenna Diversity with primary- and secondary-grade antennae that adapts to available network by optimising reception power.
The Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 will also implement Carrier Aggregation to bring forth global LTE connectivity. Stating figures of 670+ LTE operators across 181 countries and upto 422 LTE networks launched across 143 countries recently, cross-operator Carrier Aggregation is an essential tool that will help operators improve network quality provided to users. Cristiano Amon, EVP and Co-President of Qualcomm, gave estimates of 10 photographs taken with a 21-megapixel smartphone camera taking 16 seconds to be downloaded, along with improved throughput of 10.2Mbps. Qualcomm’s Zeroth engine is one of the key pegs in supporting its Carrier Aggregation venture.
One of the major highlights of Qualcomm’s Zeroth engine is its cognitive, machine-learning capabilities, which will allow the SoC to study network behaviour and usage patterns by the numerous apps on a smartphone, and map the access points to which a smartphone connects to. This will allow phones to “learn” when data is being accessed via LTE, and alternatively, via WiFi. This, in turn, will enable seamless transmission between cellular data and WiFi networks. The X12 LTE modem-driven Uplink Data Compression (UDC) will also provide enhanced performance, against optimised battery consumption, maintaining a “very healthy one-day battery life” with ease. UDC will provide additional capacity gains of upto 50% faster webpage loading times, increased network capacities in the uplink, and up to 79% app-dependent data compression gain.
“LTE-Unlimited is a better neighbour to WiFi, than WiFi itself,” Amon said. With LTE-U, seamless data coordination across devices with various form factors as well as stable data network across different networks will be made available. Atish Gude, Senior Vice-President of Corporate Strategy at Verizon Wireless, stated that LTE-U is not being looked at like a massive, singular network counsel. The tool will be used to densify network potency in places where connectivity strength is weak. Gude stated that the present market has divergent rates of data traffic and operational profits, and with improvements in data connectivity strength, it will help operators optimise their own profits, too.
Qualcomm’s new Zeroth engine, teamed up with the X12 LTE modem inside the Snapdragon 820 SoC, has an IMS Client which supports VoLTE, ViLTE (Video over LTE) and RCS (Revision Control System), all to work together to provide a highly improved network rate and reception strength. Combining the new modem with its Kryo cores, Hexagon 680 DSP, Spectra ISP and Smart Protect security system, Qualcomm is banking on its new flagship chipset to provide the highest performance with best network reception till date, alongside coming with a highly improved power rating.
Although an official word has not been given, Qualcomm has clearly stated that devices powered by the Snapdragon 820 SoC will not be available commercially until the 1st half of 2016, and it will be down to the OEMs on how to implement most of the features being provided with the Snapdragon 820.
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