Qualcomm’s shock Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 takes a web page from Apple

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Qualcomm unveiled a second premium-tier processor alongside its major Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5. Referred to as the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5, the chipset marks a brand new break up inside Qualcomm’s flagship Snapdragon 8 household. The corporate says the break up mirrors Apple’s two-chip iPhone technique.

At its annual Snapdragon Summit, Qualcomm launched its anticipated flagship cellular processor for the following yr, the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5. The processor is anticipated to energy next-gen premium Android smartphones just like the Galaxy S26 sequence. However the firm additionally threw in a shock on the finish of its presentation, saying a second premium-tier processor: the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5.

“We developed this chipset to provide you extra decisions and adaptability, whereas nonetheless delivering flagship options,” Qualcomm mentioned on stage. Whereas particulars are scarce, the brand new processor will probably sit just under the Elite mannequin. The thought is to create two distinct efficiency ranges inside Qualcomm’s flagship Snapdragon 8 household.

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In a bunch interview the place Android Authority’s C. Scott Brown was current, Alex Katouzian, Group GM of Cellular, Compute, and XR at Qualcomm, defined why the corporate took this step.

“What’s going to occur is we’re type of bifurcating the premium tier into two. And you recognize you we've got this Elite expertise and we’re giving prospects (cellphone makers) and a chance to tier within the premium tier. And I believe they're asking for that as effectively.”

<img class="e_Kg" decoding="async" loading="lazy" sizes="(min-width: 64rem) 51.25rem, 80vw" title="Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 2" srcset="https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Snapdragon-8-Gen-5-2.jpg 1920w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Snapdragon-8-Gen-5-2-64w-36h.jpg 64w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Snapdragon-8-Gen-5-2-1000w-563h.jpg 1000w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Snapdragon-8-Gen-5-2-1536w-864h.jpg 1536w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Snapdragon-8-Gen-5-2-675w-380h.jpg 675w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Snapdragon-8-Gen-5-2-300w-170h.jpg 300w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Snapdragon-8-Gen-5-2-1280w-720h.jpg 1280w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Snapdragon-8-Gen-5-2-840w-472h.jpg 840w" alt="Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 2" src="https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Snapdragon-8-Gen-5-2.jpg"/> Katouzian in contrast Qualcomm’s transfer on to Apple’s ongoing technique. “For those who have a look at Apple, you've gotten the identical factor. You may have two completely different chipsets,” he mentioned.

Apple began providing completely different chips in its flagship iPhones beginning with the iPhone 15 Professional lineup in 2023, when it launched the A17 Professional chip, distinguishing it from the usual A16 Bionic chip used within the base iPhone 15 fashions. This yr, Apple is providing the A19 chip in the usual iPhone 17 whereas the iPhone 17 Professional fashions ship with the A19 Professional. Qualcomm appears to be taking an analogous break up method, giving smartphone makers and consumers extra flexibility relating to creating and selecting flagship telephones.

Katouzian mentioned Qualcomm had averted this break up up to now as a result of its cores have been already very environment friendly.

“We bought away with it for some time as a result of our cores by way of efficiency per sq. millimeter are very environment friendly. On the finish of the day, you simply hold including capabilities and increasingly more consumer experiences are going to demand much more by way of the place your efficiency is and the way it advantages itself to your consumer expertise, and so, we appeared into bifurcating the premium tier, in a manner the place individuals can alter what they need to put out into the market doable.”

Qualcomm has but to share any technical particulars concerning the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5. We’ll have to attend and see the way it differs from the Elite expertise and which smartphone makers undertake it.