The Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chip is now official, having been announced at the semiconductor manufacturer’s tech summit on Tuesday. Several hardware partners have already confirmed that they will release smartphones running the processor, and many more are still rumored, piggybacking from when the chip was still being referred to as the Qualcomm Snapdragon 898. Here’s a rundown of devices that are expected to run the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 in the coming year.
Xiaomi 12
Xiaomi has confirmed that its device, the Xiaomi 12 will be the first smartphone in the world to run the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chip. The device is expected to launch in December 2021 for the Chinese market, some rumors suggest a December 12 announcement for the smartphone. The handset might announce globally in February. In addition to the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chip, the Xiaomi 12 is expected to include the 200-megapixel ISOCELL HP1 camera sensor made by Samsung and 120W “HyperCharge” wireless charging among its highlight features.
OnePlus 10 Series
OnePlus’ founder, Pete Lau confirmed that the brand’s “next-generation new products” would run the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chip. While he did not mention the OnePlus 10 series by name, with most rumors leaning toward the device family latest we can only assume the handsets will in fact run the new chip. The OnePlus 10 series is set to include the standard OnePlus 10 and OnePlus 10 Pro and launch in early 2022 with 120Hz displays and a large battery with fast charging among their highlight features. The brand might also continue with its Hasselblad partnership for elaborate camera systems, which have been hinted at in CAD leaks.
iQOO 9 Series
The Vivo sub-brand iQOO has also confirmed that it will announce devices running the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chip and many suspect that these smartphones will belong to the iQOO 9 series. The device family is set to include standard and Pro or Legend models and might include 120W as a highlight feature. The iQOO 9 series will most likely be available to the Chinese and Indian markets with an early January launch for China and a late January or early February for India.
Samsung Galaxy S22 Series
Samsung is well known for outfitting its yearly flagship devices with Qualcomm chips in select markets. While the manufacturer has not confirmed its upcoming smartphones or their hardware, it is likely the rumored Galaxy S22 series, which might include the standard Galaxy S22, Galaxy S22 Plus, and the Galaxy S22 Ultra will run the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chip. As said, rumors referred to the chip as the Qualcomm Snapdragon 898 prior to its announcement. Though some differences are expected the Samsung handsets are set to include elaborate camera systems, large batteries, and fast charging among their highlight features. The Galaxy S22 series is expected to be announced in February 2022.
Motorola Edge X30
The Motorola Edge X30 has also been confirmed to run the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chip and is expected to be announced on December 9. Many note the overlap of launch dates with the Xiaomi 12; however, there has not been any clarification on whether the brands mean first to be unveiled or first to retail market. Still, the Motorola Edge X30 will be among the first devices to run the new chip, and will also feature a triple camera set up with a 50-megapixel main lens, a 50-megapixel ultrawide lens, and a 2-megapixel depth sensor, a 144Hz HDR10+ display with an in-display fingerprint scanner, and 68W charging among its highlight features.
Oppo Flagship
Oppo has confirmed that the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 will run in a new flagship smartphone that it will launch within the first three months of 2022. There currently isn’t anything else known about the device.
Realme GT 2 Pro
Realme founder, Sky Li confirmed that the Realme GT 2 Pro will run the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1, calling the device its “most premium flagship phone.” The executive did not reveal a prospective launch date but rumors already suggest an early 2022 release. The Realme GT 2 Pro is expected to include a 120Hz display and a triple camera set up with a 50-megapixel main lens, a 50-megapixel ultra-wide lens, and an 8-megapixel telephoto lens among its highlight specs.
Other Brands Set to Use Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1
While specific devices have not been connected to the chip, brands including Black Shark, Honor, Nubia, Redmi, Sharp, Sony, and ZTE are all set to use the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chip in 2022 and beyond.
