Better smartphones coming up in 2018

MAUI, Hawaii — Mobile.devices are expected to be smarter and faster next year as mobile chipmaker Qualcomm unveiled its latest flagship processor called Snapdragon 845 at  its technology summit here.

The 845, a direct successor of the very popular Snapdragon 835, will power next year’s major Android smartphones led by market leaders Samsung and Xiaomi.

The San Diego-based chipmaker said its newest processor was faster and more energy efficient, resulting in smarter, safer and more immersive mobile devices.

“Today, smartphone is the most widely used platform of humankind. It has become the  custodian of our digital lives—holding records of our financial transactions, passwords, health even physical activities and many more,”Cristiano Amon, executive vice president of Qualcomm, said in his presentation.

He said global shipment of smartphones is expected to reach 8.6 billion units between 2017 and 2021, spurring a mad dash for  the creation of technology that would capture the attention of consumers who are constantly looking for innovative products.

Xiaomi founder, chairman and chief executive officer Lei Jun, who was also in attendance, said the company’s future flagship devices would use the Snapdragon 845.

“Xiaomi is commited to making devices that combine cutting edge innovations technology and beautiful design, while defying price expectations,and we have chosen Snapdragon 845 to power our next flagship smartphone,” Lei said.

Samsung, the chipmaker’s longtime hardware partner, also  confirmed its collaboration with Qualcomm. “As the foundry partner for the Snapdragon 845,we look forward to our continued collaboration,” ES Jung, president and general manager at Samsung Electronics, said.