The Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 is expected to be the processor of choice in 2016 and no doubt one of the more anticipated devices to receive this chip is going to be the Samsung Galaxy S7. While it’s expected that most other manufacturers will also make use of the new powerhouse processor, a new report has suggested that Samsung has an exclusivity deal for the Snapdragon 820, which would prohibit anyone else using the chip till April 2016 – and leaving the Galaxy S7 the only device using it for several months. That would also mean most of the devices that are generally released in the MWC window, like the new HTC One or LG G series smartphone, would have to find some other chip to make their phone tick, or wait till April.
Of course, we have to remember that this is just a rumour at this point, so we’ll take this with a fairly sizeable grain of salt. Another thing to consider is why Qualcomm would even agree to a deal like this – this would preclude Qualcomm from making deals with all other manufacturers for this period of time and potentially harm its own profits given the number of devices that generally receive Qualcomm’s highest performance chips. It’s also not a sure thing that Samsung’s Galaxy S7 will return to the dizzying sales heights of the Galaxy S4, so such a deal would be a pretty big gamble for all involved. Naturally, all we’re going to be able to do is to wait this one out to see whether it’s true.
What do you think about this report that Samsung has an exclusivity deal for the Snapdragon 820? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
