Qualcomm reveals details of Snapdragon 700 platform intended to bring AI to low-cost devices

The talky-toaster comes a step closer...

Qualcomm has revealed details of its Snapdragon 700 Mobile Platform Series, a system-on-a-chip intended to for low-cost smartphones

But the Snapdragon 700 isn't just a cost-cutting platform, it also has ambitions to bring artificial intelligence (AI) smart to cheaper smartphones.

In lower-end phones, which don't tend to get the top chips from Qualcomm and pals, powering AI tech can be a bit of a tall order for an underpowered CPU.

However, Qualcomm is touting a more efficient chip architecture with the Snapdragon 700 and enhancements in the Kryo CPU, Hexagon Vector processor and Adreno visual processing subsystem, to make its chip better at delivering AI features on cheaper gadgets.

And that efficiency is also being claimed to bring improvements to mobile battery life and camera performance.

"From our cutting-edge Qualcomm AI Engine to superior camera, device performance and power, the Snapdragon 700 Series is optimised to support the experiences consumers have come to expect from the most advanced mobile devices at a lower price point," said Alex Katouzian, general manager at the Qualcomm's mobile division.

And to top all this off, the Snapdragon 700 will come with support for a host of connectivity features, such as "ultra-fast LTE", carrier WiFi, and enhanced Bluetooth 5.

For folks who don't like shelling out in excess of £500 for a flagship smartphone, but don't want a an underpower handset with a pasty screen, the Snapdragon 700 could be the answer. It could yield affordable phones that rock features normally reserved for high-end smartphones.