According to a previously leaked Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 spec sheet, Qualcomm will be releasing two versions of its upcoming flagship chipset, both with the designation “SM8750” and “SM8750P.” The letter “P” likely stands for the performance version, but a source said that this version will not have an integrated 5G modem and may be placed in a tablet. In case you forget, this is a strategy Qualcomm has adopted in the past, which required customers to purchase a standalone 5G modem at a premium price.
The last time Qualcomm took a similar approach to the Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 was with the launch of the Snapdragon 855.
Regardless of how much performance the SM8750P version brings, @negativeonehero points out the biggest difference in this Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 version, and that’s the lack of a baseband chip. In his X post, he said that this SoC will only be used in Wi-Fi-only tablets, suggesting that various manufacturers plan to launch products with larger screens in the future. However, such a big difference could just mean that Qualcomm plans to charge customers a large premium.
The San Diego company unveiled the Snapdragon X80 5G modem in February this year, saying the baseband chip would be featured in its Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 flagships, due for release in the second half of 2024. As for why Qualcomm would pursue such a business practice, it’s not that the approach isn’t new for chipset makers. The Snapdragon 855, launched in 2018, also launched without a 5G modem, as 5G adoption was in its early stages and handset makers had the option to stick with 4G connectivity only.
The P in “SM8750P” stands for no baseband; the P variant is used in Wi-Fi-only tablets.
Different bins/revisions of Snapdragon chips are denoted by suffixes like -AC, -AD, etc… https://t.co/dtQIvjRXdi— sun.dtsi (@negativeonehero) August 21, 2024
However, flagships with 5G baseband bands would likely have been more expensive as Qualcomm’s partners would have had to pay a premium to use such technology. Now that 5G connectivity is more widespread, manufacturers have little choice but to pay the extra cost. We reported in July that this was probably why no orders had yet come in for the Snapdragon 8 Gen 4, and that Qualcomm executives had previously hinted that the chipset would be more expensive than the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3.
This pretty much explains why Samsung wants to resume its dual chipset launch strategy and why Apple is continuing to develop its own 5G modem. As these costs pile up, MediaTek sees an opportunity to take market share from Qualcomm by offering a single Dimensity 9400 variant with a 5G modem. Eventually, we will see some partners move away from the Snapdragon brand in favor of cheaper, more preferred alternatives, but time will tell if this rumor proves true.
News Source: Negative One Hero
