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Qualcomm confident former Apple engineers will help it make a chip better than M1

Published: Jul 02, 2021, 11:41 AM

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Qualcomm confident former Apple engineers will help it make a better chip than M1

Qualcomm's Chief Executive Cristiano Amon thinks that the company is well-placed to launch an Apple M1-rivalling chip by next year, per a Reuters report. Ironically, that's largely thanks to Apple.

Qualcomm had earlier bought a company that was founded by Apple engineers

Earlier this year, Qualcomm acquired Nuvia, a chip startup founded by former Apple engineers. The company plans to incorporate Nuvia's tech into its flagship smartphone, laptop, and networking chips.

Nuvia’s three main founders - Gerard Williams III, Manu Gulati, and John Bruno - have previously worked for Apple and Google in key roles. Apple had filed a case against Williams for using its resources to work on Nuvia's technology.

Apple, which has been making chips for its iPhones, iPads, and Apple Watches for a long time, unveiled a new processor based on Arm's designs called M1 last year. It powers the new Macs and iPad Pros. Nuvia founders had apparently also worked on the M1.

M1 is said to be a lot faster and power-efficient than chips from rivals Intel and AMD. When it was announced, analysts had forecasted that Apple's move could motivate other suppliers to design similar chips.

And now, Qualcomm has confirmed that it's planning to launch a new custom chip for laptop makers next year. The company says it's going to be the 'best chip on the market,' and that Nuvia is key to this ambition.

The chip is being designed from scratch and it will not be based on Arm's blueprints.

Qualcomm pretends it doesn't care about Apple's in-house modem

Taking a subtle dig at Apple, which seemingly plans to replace Qualcomm’s modem in iPhones by 2023, Amon said that rivals won't be able to replicate his company's years of design experience.

He also believes that Qualcomm will benefit from Huawei's precarious position in China. The Chinese company is struggling to find components needed for smartphones and is now a shadow of its former self.

Some of Qualcomm's biggest clients, such as Xiaomi, are key players in China.

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Anam Hamid is a computer scientist turned tech journalist who has a keen interest in the tech world, with a particular focus on smartphones and tablets. She has previously written for Android Headlines and has also been a ghostwriter for several tech and car publications. Anam is not a tech hoarder and believes in using her gadgets for as long as possible. She is concerned about smartphone addiction and its impact on future generations, but she also appreciates the convenience that phones have brought into our lives. Anam is excited about technological advancements like folding screens and under-display sensors, and she often wonders about the future of technology. She values the overall experience of a device more than its individual specs and admires companies that deliver durable, high-quality products. In her free time, Anam enjoys reading, scrolling through Reddit and Instagram, and occasionally refreshing her programming skills through tutorials.