Qualcomm Snapdragon Now A Platform, 200 Series Chips Renamed Qualcomm Mobile

Qualcomm announced Friday it will diversify its offerings “in the coming months,” starting with rebranding of its Snapdragon brand.

“The shift isn’t seismic, but we believe it is a step in the right direction and that it will help us better demonstrate the overall value of a chip, beyond ‘speeds and feeds’,” the company said in its official blog post.

Read: Qualcomm Tells Apple To ‘Bring It On’

The company wants Snapdragon to not just be known as a processor brand, but instead be called a platform. It said processors represent a combination of components which power a device's CPU, while Snapdragon is a combination of hardware, software and services. Qualcomm calls it “an anthology of technology.”

While the re-branding might sound like a public relations exercise, it indicates that Qualcomm might soon be diversifying into providing smartphone services. It already seems engaged in efforts to diversify its offerings — in January 2016, it entered into a $3 billion joint venture with Japanese company TDK Form to work on wireless technology.

The company offers more than just processor technology — it has been working on improving the battery, audio and other aspects of smartphones with technologies such as Quick Charge and Aqstic audio DAC. It also provides support for Wi-Fi, touch controllers and fingerprint sensors.

In the future, it will offer support smartphone manufacturers to develop better algorithms, increase battery life and even make phones more secure. The company has also created a differentiation between processors made for entry-level devices and mid-range and premium devices.

Read: 7 Devices Rumored to Feature Snapdragon 835 In 2017

Up till now, the company was offering four Snapdragon series of processors: 200 series for entry-level devices, 400 and 600 series for mid-range devices and 800 series for high-end devices. Starting Friday, the 200 series processors will be called Qualcomm Mobile. The company says it has done the re-branding to ensure “better clarity and expectations” for its customers.

Qualcomm remains the chosen processor for major smartphone companies — 2017 flagships such as Samsung Galaxy S8, Note 8, Google Pixel 2 and HTC 11 are all expected to be powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon chipsets, just like their predecessors.