The company will keep releasing bits of information of what to expect with this new processor and today they communicated some benefits of the new integrated Hexagon 680 DSP (Digital Signal Processor). You’ll see these chips in the next generation of mobile devices in the coming years. Free webinar on the omnichannel marketing strategy.
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The DSP chip is initially created to improve performance quality while using lower energy then the main CPU, by this saving battery life.
Why this matters: A dedicated “sensor core” has become a standard component of most phones: Apple built a dedicated M8 co-processor for the task, and Nokia Lumia phones have used a SensorCore component to keep track of the steps users take. The Nexus 5 already has a Hexagon DSP and it was used to double the battery life while playing MP3 files. The new chip is the company’s reply to a number of issues, including the security, virtual reality, and processing media.
Another role will be combining data from multiple sources, such as augmenting Global Positioning System location with other sensors to get a more accurate overall fix.
The other big feature of the Hexagon 680 are “Hexagon Vector eXtensions” (HVX). This added hardware supports advanced imaging and computer vision when used with the Qualcomm Spectra camera image sensor. It will be particularly useful when taking low-light photographs or even videos, as the new processor will use the ISP and DSP to brighten some areas that would normally appear dark.
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Qualcomm has taken an incremental approach toward disclosing details of the Snapdragon 820, one of three key chip architectures in the smartphone space alongside Samsung’s Exynos line and the Apple A-series chips. As of this writing, Qualcomm claims there are “hundreds” of developers actively writing code targeting its family of Hexagon processors. Chime in here, and we’ll share the results.
