Qualcomm 205 Mobile Platform Gives Entry-Level Phones 4G Services

Although mobile phone penetration around the world is high, there is great disparity when it comes to the level of service between emerging and mature markets. The new Qualcomm (News - Alert) 205 Mobile Platform will reduce that gap by bringing 4G LTE connectivity and 4G services to entry-level feature phones in emerging markets. The purpose of the 205 SoC is to eventually bring LTE (News - Alert) to the sub-$50 mass-market feature phones for these regions, including India, Latin America and Southeast Asia.

As mature markets reach near 100 percent market saturation for smartphones, manufacturers and service providers are looking to the billions of customers around the world that are still using regular cell phones. For Qualcomm and its new 205 SoC, this is a great opportunity to supply manufacturers with an affordable technology that can be integrated into phones with low price points, but without sacrificing the features consumers are demanding.

According to the company, this new platform will enable a comprehensive mobile solution designed to include baseband functionalities, software and RF front end, discrete Wi-Fi, power management, audio codec, and speaker amplifier hardware components. It will support advanced LTE data services such as Voice over LTE (VoLTE) and Voice over Wi-Fi (VoWi-Fi) along with faster download speeds for on-demand content including music and videos. For content and telecom providers, it means new monetization opportunities to deliver content and services to markets that are eagerly waiting for these features.

Some of the Qualcomm 205 SoC features are: Dual Core CPU at 1.1 GHz; Qualcomm Adreno GPU; LTE Cat 4 modem with up to 150 Mbps download, 50 Mbps upload; 4G, 3G and 2G networks; 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.1, ANT+, FM radio; 3 megapixel rear camera, 0.3MP selfie camera; VGA display at 480p 60 frames per-second; HD Video streaming; and dual SIMs.

“Qualcomm Technologies is committed to the migration of users and networks from 2G, 2.5G, and 3G to 4G. Feature phones are a lifeline in many emerging countries and the Qualcomm 205 Mobile Platform allows us to bring 4G connectivity and services to the masses with devices at price points never seen before,” said Kedar Kondap, vice president, product management, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc.

The Qualcomm 205 Mobile Platform is designed for Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) and Original Design Manufacturers (ODMs) and it is available now, but consumers can expect devices with this chip in the second quarter of 2017.