Qualcomm redefines its Snapdragon branding

Qualcomm is redefining what the Snapdragon brand is, with an announcement of a "new naming structure" for Snapdragon. The move will see the entire hardware and software platform on a Snapdragon-powered device being referred to as Snapdragon, and not just the processor.

The company explains: "For decades, the semiconductor industry has used the term "processor" to mean the component that powers the most advanced devices. It's a word that Qualcomm Technologies has embraced over the years with our Snapdragon brand, or as we say-our Qualcomm Snapdragon processor. But the word is an inadequate representation of what the technology actually is, and the solutions that tens of thousands of Qualcomm Technologies innovators have worked on".

Qualcomm continues: "In truth, Snapdragon is more than a single component, a piece of silicon, or what many would misinterpret as the CPU; it's an anthology of technology, comprising hardware, software, and services that are not fully captured in a word like "processor." That is why Qualcomm Technologies is refining our terminology by referring to Snapdragon as a "platform" instead of a processor".

Qualcomm's new rebranding of Snapdragon will encompass the actual system-on-a-chips (SoC), Qualcomm's super-fast Quick Charge technology, digital-to-analog audio converters, Wi-Fi products, touchscreen controllers, and fingerprint sensors - as well as the software and drivers that make it all turn on and work.

It's a little confusing, as the new Snapdragon branding only applies to the higher-end models - with the Snapdragon 200-series processors (which aren't as popular as the Snapdragon 810/820/821 and the upcoming Snapdragon 835). The lower-end/mid-range Snapdragon range will be called Qualcomm Mobile, and not Snapdragon. The mid-range Snapdragon 400 and 600 products, as well as the Snapdragon 800 aren't singled out - so we should see things stay the same, and not shift into the muddy world of 'Qualcomm Mobile'.