With the introduction of the Snapdragon 210 chipset, Qualcomm is hoping to push down the cost of LTE smartphones even further.
The last 12 months have seen a growing focus on smartphones that cost below US$200. But while these products are becoming increasingly competent, they are still just 3G devices. Qualcomm is hoping to change that with the introduction of the Snapdragon 210 processor, which will be used in smartphones starting during the first half of next year, it said Wednesday.
The company isn't saying what it expects smartphones based on the new processor will cost. However, looking at the price of devices powered by current Snapdragon 200 processors, price tags around $100 without a contract aren't out of the question.
For example, Motorola's Moto E costs from $129 and the Nokia Lumia 530 from Microsoft costs about €85 ($110).
Smartphones powered by the Snapdragon 210 can also have two SIM cards and 8-megapixel cameras that can shoot full HD video. The Moto E and Lumia 530 both have 5-megapixel cameras. The processor can also power tablets.
Qualcomm also launched the Snapdragon 208 for even cheaper 3G smartphones. The processor has dual-core CPUs and can display up to 960 x 540 pixels, the company said. The first smartphones based on the chipset are also expected to start shipping during the first six months of next year.
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