The next big innovation in Android phone chipsets has been unveiled, and here are the most important changes.
The Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset is official, and if you’re looking to upgrade your top-tier Android phone next year, it’s likely you’ll find this chipset powering your new flagship device. We’ve been learning about what the new chip is capable of, and you’ll find everything you need to know about the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 in our coverage elsewhere. Just want to know the key changes? We’ve put together this list of what may change on your next Android phone. There are six major features that you need to know about, and these will give you an idea of what you can expect in upcoming flagships like the Samsung Galaxy S22, OnePlus 10, Xiaomi 12 and more. Let’s start with arguably the biggest change. The new chipset will allow your smartphone’s camera to always be on. Don’t worry, it won’t be constantly snapping selfies – it’s designed to allow for other features rather than taking photographs. Why would that benefit you? It will allow developers to include features that are specifically designed around using your phone’s camera without you touching the device. An example Qualcomm has given is that it’ll allow you to unlock your phone without touching it. Think about how you may be cooking with ingredients all over your hands, and this will allow you to unlock your phone without getting gunk on it. Some have cited security concerns about the feature, and it may worry you, too. Qualcomm insists that it’s doing this in a safe way to ensure that no one can take your data from your phone’s cameras, but it’ll be interesting to see how people might take advantage of the feature.
