Wearables have faced an uphill battle, struggling with both technical constraints as well as the daunting task of changing consumer mindsets. Things are moving, though, and manufacturers are beginning to overcome these issues. With the next generation, some of the technical constraints will become smaller thanks to a new wearables processor from Qualcomm.
Qualcomm is by far the biggest name in mobile processors, and the company is working to secure a strong foothold in the wearables market as well. The Snapdragon Wear 2100 processor is a new creation from the company’s that’s been designed specifically for wearables, offering innovations that specifically suit wearables.
Two models of the Snapdragon Wear 2100 are being created. The first is a tethered version, which uses Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, while the second version is a connected version, which also brings in an LTE modem. With the connected version, wearables will be able to stream music, answer calls, send texts and more, without being tethered to a smartphone.
A key selling point is the reduced size of the processor, which is 30% smaller than previous wearable processors, allowing manufacturers to create thinner devices, a definite plus considering how chunky some of the current smartwatches are. In addition to reducing size, Qualcomm also reduced power consumption by 25% in both the tethered and connected models. Less power being used allows for longer battery life, allowing smartwatches to come closer to that goal of having battery life measured in days, rather than hours.
Qualcomm has been working behind the scenes with manufacturers, and the company says that there are wearables already in development that are using the Snapdragon Wear 2100. This indicates that the next generation of smartwatches, as well as other wearables, will be powered by the Snapdragon Wear 2100.
Keep an eye out for new wearables using this processor.
Source :
Androidandme