Qualcomm introduced the Qualcomm 205 Mobile Platform, designed to bring 4G LTE connectivity and services to entry level phones (or feature phones) – i.e. not smartphones.
The Qualcomm 205 Mobile Platform includes the Qualcomm 205 SoC, which provides the baseband functionalities, plus hardware components including RF front end, discrete Wi-Fi, power management, audio codec, speaker amplifier, and software.
Qualcomm is targeting consumers from emerging regions, including India, Latin America, and Southeast Asia. It’s design for OEMs (Original Equipment Manufacturers) and ODMs (Original Design Manufacturers) who caters for consumers without access to high quality, affordable, reliable mobile devices. While these feature phones are often running on 2G and 3G, the Qualcomm 205 Mobile Platform supports these devices with LTE data services such as Voice over LTE (VoLTE) and Voice over Wi-Fi (VoWi-Fi).
Small enterprises make up a large percentage of the economy in regions such as India and Southeast Asia. This new platform will give a more reliable, faster and more secure access to process financial transactions. One huge advantage of feature phones are battery life, often lasting for days – which is important for people who don’t always have access to reliable power source.
Qualcomm 205 SoC features include:
- LTE Cat 4 modem with up to 150 Mbps download, 50 Mbps upload;
- Support for 4G, 3G and 2G networks;
- Support for 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.1, ANT+, FM radio;
- Dual Core CPU at 1.1 GHz;
- Qualcomm Adreno GPU;
- 3 megapixel rear camera,.3MP selfie camera
- VGA display at 480p 60 frames per-second;
- HD Video streaming;
- Support for Linux based OS;
- Support for dual SIMs;
- Pin-compatible with Qualcomm Snapdragon 210/212
“Qualcomm Technologies is committed to the migration of users and networks from 2G, 2.5G, and 3G to 4G,” said Kedar Kondap, vice president, product management, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. “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.”
The Qualcomm 205 Mobile Platform is available today with devices expected to reach consumers in Q2 2017.
