New Qualcomm chip for Android watches

Snapdragon Wear 3100 Platform. © Qualcomm.

Qualcomm has released a new processor for smartwatches and other wearables, the Snapdragon Wear 3100, intended to extend battery life, enhance always-on displays, and offer greater versatility. This new development was highly anticipated by the industry, which had been waiting for a new chip for two and a half years. The main innovation in this chip is the addition of a new, low-power co-processor that handles most tasks when the watch isn’t actually being interacted with, providing for a significant improvement in battery life. This co-processor will power a watch’s sensors and ambient display, while using up to 20 times less energy than the main processor. Another interesting feature is that when the battery gets low (charge less than 20%), the processor stops WearOS, allowing the watch to just give time for at least another week. The new processor will be found in Fossil, Louis Vuitton and Montblanc watches before the end of the year.

⇨ Circuit Breaker, “Qualcomm finally has a new chip for the next generation of Android smartwatches.”