The company is looking to change the way we listen to music and audio on our smartphones with its latest chip. Its S7 Pro Gen 1 SoC has built-in micro-power Wi-Fi support that will help devices like earbuds extend their range beyond the Bluetooth limitations of current technology. Moreover, it’s capable of streaming 192kHz lossless audio over Wi-Fi, which will reportedly allow for Hi-Res multi-channel audio playback.
To do this, the new chipset combines Wi-Fi and Bluetooth with the help of Qualcomm’s XPAN technology that’s been enhanced for audio. This will enable users to move around their homes, office building, or campuses without losing connection. It will also let them play music or make calls in high-quality formats such as 192kHz, which is the highest sample rate possible over Bluetooth.
The S7 Pro Gen 1 also supports Bluetooth 5.4 connectivity, allowing it to connect with compatible earbuds and speakers that support the standard. The S7 Pro Gen 1 is capable of up to 10 hours of untethered 96kHz lossless music streaming, which is significantly longer than what the S5 Gen 2 could do over Bluetooth. It also comes with advanced audio features such as Responsive 4th generation ANC and spatial audio, which should enable users to hear their surroundings without having to take out their headphones or earbuds.
Another prominent feature of the S7 Pro is the addition of an integrated X62 5G modem-RF system, which will enable phones to support fast LTE networks. It will reportedly be the first mobile chip to support dual 4G Cat 6 speeds of up to 600Mbps and 800Mbps, which should be enough for most people’s needs.
As for the rest of the chip, it will come with a Spectra Triple 14-bit image signal processor and Qualcomm’s 7th generation AI engine. It will be able to improve performance by up to 30 percent over the previous generation while offering more features such as facial recognition, object detection, and low-latency video stabilization.
Lastly, the S7 Pro Gen 1 has an Adreno 750 GPU and a dedicated Trust Management Engine for security functions. It’s also equipped with Android Ready SE for digital car keys and IDs, Wi-Fi 6E and 4.1 support, and a UFS 4.1 storage interface. However, the S7 Pro Gen 1 needs to include a dedicated modem, as it will be up to OEMs whether or not they want to include one.
The new Snapdragon S7 Pro Gen 1 is expected to appear in upcoming mid-range smartphones, including Xiaomi’s Redmi Note 13 Pro, which is set to launch this week. The phone will be the first handset to sport the chip, and more details are expected to leak soon. Expect it to be priced below $400 when it hits stores. It needs to be clarified when the next flagship Snapdragon X Elite will debut, though. It might be a couple of months before it makes its way to the market, but it should offer more performance than the S7 Pro.
