To this date, Qualcomm has shipped over a billion of Internet of Things (IoT) chipsets, the San Diego-based semiconductor manufacturer revealed on Tuesday. While speaking at the CES Unveiled press event yesterday, the company’s Senior Vice President of Product Management Raj Talluri said that the firm is already serving all segments of the IoT industry, from smart TVs and thermostats to connected speakers, wearables, and home assistants. Talluri specifically pointed out that smartphones and tablets aren’t included in the one billion figure.
Qualcomm’s impressive shipment numbers are mostly driven by the company’s presence in the wearable industry, as Talluri revealed that over 80% of all Android smartwatches are powered by Snapdragon system-on-chips. The company’s VP pointed out how numerous consumer electronics manufacturers are already implementing the cutting edge Snapdragon 835 chipset into their products, adding how a lot of these devices will be hitting the market shortly. Among other things, Qualcomm’s most advanced mobile chip to date will power Mobi’s Mattel Aristotle smart speaker, as well as Osterhaut Design Group’s upcoming R-8 and R-9 AR smart glasses. Finally, Talluri also revealed that a new smartwatch designed by Swarovski and powered by one of Qualcomm’s Snapdragon chipsets will be revealed later this week at CES 2017. The mysterious Swarovski smartwatch will be the first device of its kind ever made by the renowned Austrian fashion company and is reported to be fueled by the premium Snapdragon 835 chip.
Qualcomm’s VP also sees a lot of potential for revenue growth in the auto industry as self-driving cars are slowly becoming a reality and connected cars systems are already implemented in a broad range of contemporary models. If future vehicles are to be perfectly capable of scanning their surroundings, they’ll need powerful chips, and the San Diego-based semiconductor manufacturer is hoping it can help provide them. Qualcomm is also planning to test a number of new car connectivity technologies over the course of this year, and Talluri promised that more information about that effort will follow shortly. In overall, this is bound to be an interesting year for Qualcomm as the company will be looking to strengthen its market presence while simultaneously pushing for more innovation in the industry.