As one of the most critical components of a mobile phone, the role of mobile phone chips is self-evident. At present, the mobile phone processor is mainly Huawei Kirin, Apple A series, Qualcomm Snapdragon, Lianfake, Samsung Fox Hunting and Unigroup Zhanrui's Tiger Ben, while only HiSilicon and Samsung have mobile phone terminal manufacturing and chip research and development capabilities, while Qualcomm and MediaTek only provide solutions, no terminals. Apple chips are designed independently, and commissioned production is only for self-use. Samsung's chips are only used by Meizu in addition to their own high-end mobile phones. For many years, Kirin HiSilicon processors have been applied to Huawei's star models.
However, since the United States sanctioned Huawei, Huawei's Kirin 9000 series processors may become the best song of the HiSilicon series of processors, resulting in a plummet in mobile phone sales. Due to the lack of independent research and development, the ability to produce chips, the lack of core of mobile phones has always been the pain of domestic mobile phone manufacturers, Qualcomm Snapdragon belongs to the general processor, many domestic brands are equipped with Snapdragon processors, Qualcomm almost monopolized the entire Android mobile phone market, domestic mobile phone manufacturers have always been on the weak side, even if Qualcomm chips due to power consumption, heat and other issues frequently overturned, mobile phone manufacturers can only be bitter and continue to use, and continue to be harvested by Qualcomm benefits.
Qualcomm: Who develops on my foundation and blocks whom
In order to get rid of the dependence on qualcomm and other corporate chips, domestic mobile phone manufacturers have chosen to independently develop chips. Although the cost of self-developed chips such as manpower, material resources and financial resources is huge, but domestic manufacturers continue to move towards independent research and development, Xiaomi and vivo have launched self-developed ISP chips for image signal processing this year, accumulating experience for the subsequent launch of Soc chips.
Although domestic manufacturers' self-developed chips are trying to get rid of their dependence on Qualcomm, it is not so simple. The independent research and development of ISP chips carried out by domestic manufacturers needs to be developed based on the Qualcomm framework. The mobile phone manufacturer's self-developed chip has undoubtedly touched the core of Qualcomm's technology, and in order to protect its own interests, Qualcomm has taken a shot.
At the Snapdragon Technology Summit held this month, the person in charge of Qualcomm publicly stated that mobile phone manufacturers have launched self-developed ISP chips on the basis of Qualcomm architecture, and Qualcomm will develop new technologies as soon as possible to make such ISP chips ineffective. Qualcomm decisively intervened and directly blocked the domestic attempt to develop its own ISP chip fundamentally.
Qualcomm is very strong with its technological leadership
In the field of chips, many of Qualcomm's key technologies are in the global leading position. In order to fundamentally get rid of the dependence on Qualcomm, it is necessary to take the road of complete self-research, and the tough statement of Qualcomm at this summit is undoubtedly a warning to mobile phone manufacturers, which will definitely arouse great attention in the industry. If the Soc chip is restricted by Qualcomm, a similar encounter may occur with Huawei.
In the face of the threat posed by many domestic manufacturers have launched self-developed chips, Qualcomm has issued a warning without compromise by relying on its technological leadership and has a strong attitude. At this stage, many manufacturers can not get rid of the dependence on Qualcomm, whether it is the ISP framework or Soc chip including communication baseband, Qualcomm or mobile phone manufacturers can not avoid the choice, which is the reason why Qualcomm dares to be so strong.
At present, in addition to Huawei's use of self-developed HiSilicon Kirin processors, many domestic mobile phone manufacturers do not have their own chips and can only choose to rely on Qualcomm.
Qualcomm's "internal and external troubles"
Although Qualcomm is very strong to suppress major manufacturers, Qualcomm has also exposed many problems. Relying on the major manufacturers in addition to Qualcomm has no better choice, Snapdragon processor to squeeze toothpaste upgrades, and even the emergence of power consumption overturning, fever and other issues, mobile phone manufacturers can only complain bitterly, and to face consumers' doubts about product quality.
When major mobile phone manufacturers began to develop self-developed ISP chips, in addition, in recent years, mediatek chips have risen strongly, mobile phone manufacturers have also tried to use MediaTek chips. In this regard, Qualcomm on the one hand to the major manufacturers of technical blockade, on the other hand began to improve the quality of Snapdragon chips, it is rumored that in Samsung 4 nanometer foundry power consumption control effect is poor, Qualcomm will hand over the order to TSMC for oem, in order to achieve power consumption control.
China's "core" still has some way to go
Whether cooperation can achieve a win-win situation, the decision is in the hands of the party with the right to speak, and there is no fairness in an unequal position. In the face of the self-developed chips of major mobile phone manufacturers, Qualcomm can be suppressed in a direct and effective way, and major manufacturers should seriously consider how to solve the dependence on Qualcomm.
Although domestic mobile phone manufacturers have not yet reached the height of developing AP chips, baseband chips, etc., if you want to get rid of Qualcomm's technical dependence, taking the road of self-developed chips is the only choice for many domestic mobile phone manufacturers, so it will inevitably face difficulties and obstacles. Mobile phone Soc chip independent research and development will not be a handful, fortunately, at present, several major manufacturers have started the chip independent research and development work, a thriving is not spring, a hundred flowers bloom in the spring garden, can not rely on Huawei to continue to invest in research and development, domestic brands only work together to open the blockade of the chip industry.