Qualcomm will refer to its processors as "platforms" going forward

In a blog post today, Qualcomm has announced changes and refinements to the way that the company talks about and markets its Snapdragon brand. These changes will see the company no longer refer to its Snapdragon range as processors, instead these will be known as “platforms” from now on.

For mobile chip followers, this news probably won’t feel like that much of an adjustment. We’ve often referred to mobile application processors as a system-on-a-chip (SoC) because they encompass many more technologies than just core processing units. As mobile chips have become more sophisticated and encompassed more technologies, they’ve moved beyond their initial processor labeling.

For example, Qualcomm’s Snapdragon includes not just a CPU, GPU, and DSP, but there’s an integrated LTE modem, Quick Charge technology, dual camera ISPs, an audio codec, touch controllers, and fingerprint security technology all packed into the chip. Qualcomm clearly views all of these components as part of a complete platform, and wants to reflect this in its brand positioning.

In addition to hardware, the company has been evolving its focus on providing software solutions to its partners as part of its platforms. Algorithms for processing great looking pictures and video, battery optimizations, and even emerging machine learning software is all a part of the package that the chip developer is offering to its smartphone, drone, IoT, and automotive partners.

Another interesting note in the post is that Qualcomm’s entry-level Snapdragon 200 tier will be receiving a new name. This series will now fall under the Qualcomm Mobile brand, thereby reserving the Snapdragon name for its higher performance platforms. This should help consumers and partners more readily differentiate between the company’s options that are designed for different market segments.

Qualcomm says that it will be updating the branding for more of its products over the coming months.