Qualcomm is still the leader in providing silicon to cellular handsets, and its recent announcements seem to explain why. Its latest multimedia and baseband HSPA/LTE chips bring major increases in performance and functionality.

The company is sampling a new smart-phone chipset family that improves mobile performance in smart phones. Its MSM7x30 series features a strong emphasis on multimedia performance by supporting high-definition video recording and playback, exceptional graphics with dedicated 2D and 3D cores, and an overall chip design optimized for a highly responsive, immersive Web experience. The first devices based on the flagship MSM7x30 family of chipsets are expected to launch commercially before the end of 2010. 

The MSM7x30 family of chipsets, which includes the MSM7230 solution for HSPA+ networks and MSM7630 solution with multi-mode HSPA+/EV-DO Rev. B and SV-DO support, is designed around optimal data throughput and powerful multimedia functionality. The 7x30 has the same market-leading Scorpion CPU that was commercialized in the Snapdragon QSD8x50 chipset. The 7x30 uses an 800 MHz to 1 GHz custom superscalar CPU based on the ARM v7 instruction set, delivering exceptionally high-end processing at low power to support features that include:

• 720p high-definition video encode/decode at 30 frames per second
• Integrated 2D and 3D graphics GPUs with support for OpenGL ES 2.0, and OpenVG 1.1 industry-standard application programming interfaces (APIs)
• Dedicated low-power audio subsystem supporting 5.1 surround sound
• 12-Mpixel camera support
• Integrated GPS for location-based services
• Support for leading mobile operating systems, including Android, Windows Mobile, Brew Mobile Platform, and Symbian
• Support for package-on-package memory for reduced board space, optimized power consumption, and more responsive performance

 

The PM8058 power management circuit and the QTR8600 RF subsystem with integrated Bluetooth and FM radio support the MSM7x30 family of chipsets. MSM7x30 chipsets will also directly interface with Qualcomm’s WCN1312 wireless local-area network (WLAN) solution for 802.11 b/g/n.

Qualcomm also introduced the industry's first chipsets for dual-carrier HSPA+ and multi-mode 3G/LTE. The Mobile Data Modem (MDM) MDM8220 solution is the first chipset to support Dual-carrier High-Speed Packet Access Plus (DC-HSPA+). The MDM9200 and the MDM9600 chipsets are the industry's first multi-mode 3G/Long Term Evolution (LTE) solutions. These chipsets demonstrate significant progress toward enabling the mass-market commercial deployment of two next-generation network technologies that bring more advanced data capabilities to mobile devices for new global markets in addition to North America.

Dual-carrier HSPA+ and LTE are network innovations that provide the ability to deliver more advanced data capabilities to mobile devices, supporting more compelling applications and richer user experiences. Various network operators, infrastructure vendors and mobile device manufacturers are now working with Qualcomm to enable the deployment of these next-generation network technologies in new markets worldwide.

Interoperability testing with infrastructure partners is already underway with multiple field trials scheduled for the first half of next year. Commercial launches of data-centric devices based on Qualcomm’s MDM solutions are expected to begin during the second half of 2010.

Qualcomm is working with numerous network operators, infrastructure vendors, and device manufacturers with its dual-carrier HSPA+ and/or LTE solutions. Among multiple network operators evaluating the new technologies are Japan’s EMOBILE Ltd. and Telstra Wireless. Qualcomm is also working with multiple infrastructure vendors, such as Huawei Technologies and Nokia Siemens Networks, to perform interoperability tests for dual-carrier HSPA+ and LTE. Among the many device manufacturers currently evaluating the new chipsets are Huawei, LG Electronics, Novatel Wireless, Sierra Wireless, and ZTE.

The MDM8220 dual-carrier HSPA+ solution is based on the 3GPP Release 8 standard and provides peak downlink data rates of up to 42 Mbits/s and 11 Mbits/s on the uplink, allowing carriers to easily upgrade their existing infrastructure equipment to achieve significantly higher bandwidths. Its dual-carrier technology doubles networks’ bandwidth from 5 MHz to 10 MHz by aggregating two HSPA carriers in parallel.

The MDM9200 and the MDM9600 chipsets are the industry’s first multi-mode 3G/LTE solutions that allow UMTS and CDMA2000 operators to upgrade seamlessly to future LTE services while preserving backward compatibility to their existing 3G networks. MDM9200 supports UMTS, HSPA+ and LTE, while the MDM9600 supports CDMA2000 1X, EV-DO Rev. B, SV-DO, SV-LTE, UMTS, HSPA+, and LTE.

All of the new chipsets support FDD LTE and TDD LTE modes and different carrier bandwidths, and they are capable of using orthogonal frequency-division multiple access (OFDMA) and multiple-input/multiple-output (MIMO) antenna technology to support peak data rates of up to 100 Mbits/s on the downlink and 50 Mbits/s on the uplink.