While Qualcomm's top-of-the-line Snapdragon S3 chip is currently taking all challengers from within T-Mobile's Galaxy S II, Qualcomm is already sampling around its S4 successor to manufacturers. A new white paper explains the MSM8960 chip in detail, which includes an integrated LTE baseband (along with support for the gamut of world-friendly CDMA and GSM standards) and a dual-core, 1.5GHz processor. The all-new 28nm chip is supposed to be 60 percent faster than its predecessor, with 50 percent better graphics, including support of HD 3D capture and playback. In addition to making thinner, speedy LTE phones possible (4G holdout Windows Phone is a prime candidate), with better battery life to boot, the S4 is also promised for the first wave of Windows 8 tablets. The MSM8960 should start showing up in products early next year, with a four core version of the S4 available later in 2012.
Qualcomm describes Snapdragon S4 SoC in detail
Follow topics and authors from this story to see more like this in your personalized homepage feed and to receive email updates.
