TL;DR
- The brand-new Snapdragon 8 Elite smartphone processor has built-in UWB connectivity.
- Qualcomm told us that Android brands don’t need to add any extra UWB hardware to their phones if they’re using this chipset.
- This suggests that we’ll see much wider UWB adoption on high-end Android phones, but we’ll have to wait for the first releases.
Qualcomm has just announced the Snapdragon 8 Elite processor, expected to power next-generation flagship Android phones. This is the first smartphone processor with custom Oryon cores, but this chipset could also massively boost the adoption of UWB technology.
The Snapdragon 8 Elite is equipped with the FastConnect 7900 connectivity platform, and this is the first time Qualcomm has combined Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and UWB on a single chip. UWB is used for functionality like more precise object tracking, improved smart home controls, and digital car keys.
More phones with UWB in 2025?
Does this mean any Snapdragon 8 Elite phone will have UWB, or do manufacturers still need to add extra hardware, such as antennas?
“FastConnect 7900 is a single-chip 6nm solution. OEMs do not need to add any extra UWB hardware,” a Qualcomm representative told Android Authority in response to an emailed question.
We also asked Qualcomm at the time of the FastConnect 7900 release earlier this year whether Android OEMs need to pay extra licensing fees to use this integrated UWB solution. The company stated that “all features and capabilities are delivered as a single chip solution.”
How often do you use UWB on your phone?
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We’ll just have to wait and see how many commercial Snapdragon 8 Elite phones will have UWB support. We can’t discount Android manufacturers skipping this feature due to undisclosed fees or for other reasons, like regulatory issues or market differentiation. In the case of the latter, it’s theoretically possible that a device manufacturer would skip UWB on their base flagship phone but offer it on their Ultra or Pro phones solely to make their Ultra/Pro phones look better.
Nevertheless, the inclusion of UWB hardware on the Snapdragon 8 Elite is a big deal and suggests more phones will have the technology in 2025.
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