Qualcomm announces flagship processor amid slowing smartphone sales, gloomy economic outlook

Qualcomm has announced the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, a brand new chipset that will power some of the flagship Android smartphones from the biggest phone makers, including Samsung, Xiaomi and OnePlus. But some wonder if consumers are in the mood to buy expensive smartphones during the holiday season due to economic uncertainty and high inflation.

At a media event Tuesday in Hawaii, Qualcomm said its flagship-grade mobile processor is “engineered with groundbreaking AI” and will “revolutionise the landscape of smartphones.” The new silicon is arriving soon, with the first smartphones launching commercially before the end of the year.