Smartphones to get more secure as Qualcomm’s chip gets German certification

US chipmaker Qualcomm has won certification from Germany’s cyber watchdog for a next-generation chip that boosts the security of smartphones, as applications such as mobile payments become increasingly prevalent.

The company said its Snapdragon 855 mobile system on a chip (SoC) had gained a seal of approval from Germany’s Federal Office for Information Security (BSI), whose certification was “known to be very rigorous and globally recognised”.