Information circulating the internet suggests that Xiaomi is working on not one, but two chipsets for its smartphones. Both the chipsets will debut in 2016. Of the two chipsets, one will be a low-end chipset that will most likely power Xiaomi’s Redmi devices. The move may be tailored to further reduce the price of the Redmi smartphones.
The second chipset that Xiaomi is expected to launch in 2016 is aimed at the company's mid-range smartphone models. According to the source, this SoC will offer an octa-core CPU, and will be aimed at Xiaomi’s mid ranged smartphones. Xiaomi, however, will rely on Qualcomm's Snapdragon chipsets for its high-end phones. No specifications or launch dates are available for the rumoured SoCs. This is not the first time that we have seen a company work on its own chipset for smartphones. In the past, we have seen Samsung launch its Exynos chipset, that powers its flagship devices. The chipset was first launched in 2010. Other smartphone makers such as Apple and Huawei too have their own custom SoCs powering their smartphones.
What remains to be seen is how these chipsets perform, when compared to other SoCs from Qualcomm, Broadcom and MediaTek, that are currently powering entry-level and mid-ranged smartphones. Xiaomi has already partnered with Foxconn’s manufacturing plant in Sri City factory, Andhra Pradesh. It also announced its ‘Make in India’ plans out of an event in Vishakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh. As part of the first phone that will be made entirely in India, Xiaomi introduced the Redmi 2 Prime.
What do you think? Does it make sense for Xiaomi to delve into the SoC business?
Source: MyDrivers