Qualcomm has proclaimed that the term "processor" is no longer an adequate description of its Snapdragon SoC. Rather, the mobile chipmaker wants us to refer to it as a "platform."
In announcing the terminology update, Qualcomm said Snapdragon is more than just a single component, a piece of silicon or what many interpret as the CPU. The chipmaker instead sees it as an "anthology of technology" comprised of hardware, software and services - a CPU, a GPU, an integrated modem, a DAC and fingerprint technology, for example - that simply can't be expressed in a world like "processor."
It'll now be called the Qualcomm Snapdragon Mobile Platform.
Qualcomm also said that moving forward, only premium mobile platforms will retain the Snapdragon brand. Low- and mid-range 200 series chips, meanwhile, will fall under the new Qualcomm Mobile name without the Snapdragon distinction.
The company said it hopes the change will help differentiate entry-level and high-volume solutions from their flagship and high-end platforms, thus providing better clarity and expectations for customers.
The San Diego-based chipmaker is the first to admit that the change isn't seismic.
It's perfectly reasonable for Qualcomm to want its high-end components to stand out from budget-minded offerings although I can't help but wonder if they could have come up with something better than the overused "platform" buzzword.
Qualcomm's next flagship release, the Snapdragon 835, is expected to show up in Samsung's Galaxy S8 in the coming weeks.