Qualcomm is currently the leading chipmaker in the world in terms of both 5G modem and mobile SoCs. Gone are the days when there was intense competition from MediaTek. However, MediaTek might be able to mount a resurgence as it plans to launch an affordable mid-range SoC with 5G modem in 2020. There have been reports that the chipmaker’s new CPUs are being seriously considered by big OEMs (Chinese) for the upcoming year.
Gizchina News of the week
As of now, 5G connectivity is only available on premium versions of flagship smartphones. And hence, they are no way near to affordable for most people. However, that will change next year when MediaTek will be releasing a mid-range 5G SoC built on 7nm process. This piece of information comes from a reputable leakster on Weibo and thus chances of it being real are more. Also, this forthcoming mid-range SoC will feature Cortex-A76 as main CPU cores to provide high performance at a much cheaper price than flagship chipsets.
The upcoming MediaTek mid-range SoC will come with the company’s in-house Helio M70 5G modem. This modem will be compatible with both SA(Standalone) and NSA(Non-standalone) 5G networks. And the best part is that this chipset will be powering the smartphones which will be priced around 2,000 Yuan(~$280). If MediaTek pulls it out, the chipmaker will change the current scenario of 5G smartphones in the market.
