Broadcom unveils new energy efficient GPS chip for smartwatches

With the 2014 Mobile World Congress just around the corner, some of the major players behind the scenes in the mobile device world are beginning to release info on what can be found under the hood of the next-generation devices we will see showcased next week. Broadcom has just unveiled its newest System on Chip (SoC), that is designed for the smartwatch segment of the market.

The new BCM4771 GNSS System on Chip is designed to fix some of the power-hungry issues with GPS on current SoCs on the market. Built on a 40nm process, the chip features a new GPS sensor hub that us designed to not only shrink the component size, but greatly reduce the power draw of the device when used in applications where a small battery may be the only option. This comes in quite handy for devices like smartwatches and smart glasses, where batteries are typically in the 300-500mAh range. Broadcom says the device will launch in late March and will arrive in retail devices by the end of the summer.