Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. has announced the world’s first 5G NR-Light modem-RF system, the Snapdragon X35. This new class of 5G is designed to bridge the gap between high-speed mobile broadband devices and extremely low-bandwidth NB-IoT devices. NR-Light devices that are powered by Snapdragon X35 are expected to be smaller, more cost-efficient, and have longer battery life compared to traditional mobile broadband devices.
The optimized design and breakthrough performance of Snapdragon X35 offers a device platform that addresses the need for mid-tier use cases and provides a long-term migration path to replace LTE CAT4+ devices. This will ultimately increase 5G adoption and allow for a faster transition to a unified 5G network.
Qualcomm Technologies has also announced Snapdragon X32 5G Modem-RF System, a modem-to-antenna solution that is built to lower complexity and fuel cost-efficient NR-Light devices.
“The Snapdragon X35 brings together key 5G breakthroughs expected from the world’s leading wireless innovator,” said Durga Malladi, senior vice president and general manager, cellular modems and infrastructure, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. “The world’s first 5G NR-Light modem features a cost-effective, streamlined design with leading power efficiency, optimized thermal, and reduced footprint. Snapdragon X35 is poised to power the next wave of connected intelligent edge devices and empower a wide spectrum of uses. We look forward to working with industry leaders to unleash what’s possible with a unified 5G platform.”
With Snapdragon X35, device makers can expect a lower-cost option that provides a long-term migration path to replace LTE CAT4+ devices. This will ultimately increase 5G adoption and allow for a faster transition to a unified 5G network. The breakthrough performance of Snapdragon X35 is expected to power the next wave of connected intelligent edge devices and empower a wide range of uses. Qualcomm Technologies is looking forward to working with industry leaders to unleash the full potential of a unified 5G platform.
The most significant innovations of the Snapdragon X35 5G Modem-RF System include:
World’s first 5G NR Light modem-RF, with a brand new simplified design
Snapdragon X35, is a 3GPP Version 17 RedCap modem equipped with optimized RFICs as well as PMIC modules, provides OEMs with advanced 5G capabilities that can be used to design the next generation of devices to meet the new generation of applications. The flexible, slim architecture and high-level modem RF integration provide higher power and greater thermal efficiency while enabling a compact size design that can make it fit into smaller devices.
Expanding the 5G ecosystem to new use instances
Snapdragon X35 offers a distinctive combination of capabilities for data rates and power consumption, as well as the complexity of its design, and the smaller footprint required to enable cost-effectively new applications like low-end industrial IoT devices, mass-tier fixed wireless access equipment for consumer premises and mass-tier connected PCs, and the first Generation 5G mobile IoT devices such as direct-to cloud glasses and high-end wearables.
It supports the two technologies, LTE as well as 5G NR-Light Snapdragon X35 has been designed to be backwards compatible and future-proof , allowing OEMs to create devices that can be used in conjunction with a range of 5G and 4G class devices that help grow 5G NR Light services.
Performance that is groundbreaking with the latest Modem-RF feature set
Snapdragon X35 is equipped with advanced modem-RF technology that is designed to drastically lower power usage, improve 5G coverage, decrease the latency of batteries, prolong battery life and speed, as well as improve speed of uplinks:
– Qualcomm(r) QET5100 Envelope Tracking
– Qualcomm(r) Smart Transmit(tm) Technology
– Qualcomm(r) 5G Ultra-Low Latency Suite
– Qualcomm(r) 5G PowerSave Gen 4
Furthermore, Snapdragon X35 supports dual-frequency GNSS (L1+L5) to ensure precise positioning that is suitable for innovative industrial use cases and applications. With the global support for RF bands, Snapdragon X35 supports all spectrum bands in sub-6GHz FDD or TDD to meet the demands of different markets.
These improvements and innovations included in Snapdragon X35 are designed to enable a new generation applications and use cases ranging that range from entry-level to high-end.
In addition to the advancements of Snapdragon X35, the Snapdragon X32 5G Modem-RF System is also set to play a significant role in fueling cost-efficient NR-Light devices. This modem-to-antenna solution is designed to lower complexity, improve performance, and reduce power usage. Its advanced capabilities include support for 5G mmWave, sub-6GHz and dynamic spectrum sharing, and enhanced beamforming and tracking capabilities. The Snapdragon X32 5G Modem-RF System is expected to provide a powerful platform that addresses the need for mid-tier use cases and provides a long-term migration path to replace LTE CAT4+ devices. With these innovations, Qualcomm Technologies is paving the way for a more connected, efficient, and unified 5G platform that will enable a wide range of use cases and applications.
