Skip to main content

Opinion: Qualcomm’s secret fix to the Android problem

qualcomm
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Google Android has been incredibly successful, but it has also been wrapped in a series of problems. A good deal of the problems come from Google’s attempt to tear down the software licensing model Microsoft had been using for years. Much like if you try to put a round peg in a square hole, this kind of thing results in problems.

Interestingly enough, Qualcomm has come up with what may be the best, though least well-known, way to make a better Android phone. I was on-site at Qualcomm this week, and I think I can explain why some of the most successful Android phones run Qualcomm technology.

The Microsoft World

In a Microsoft world, Microsoft makes the platform, tends to get most of the profit, and pays for most of the marketing. The way this typically works, Microsoft delivers a very complete and locked-down software product to the OEMs, whether they build PCs or phones. These OEMs pay Microsoft, and Microsoft kicks back a percentage, which goes directly to that OEM’s marketing department to sell the device. In many cases, virtually the entire marketing budget for a new PC or Microsoft phone is sourced from this process.

The OEMs complained up a blue streak that this model didn’t allowed them to differentiate. Basically, rather than Microsoft providing outsourced software for them (effectively serving as their underlings) they had all become outsourced hardware for Microsoft (they were Microsoft’s underlings). In short they really didn’t like working for Microsoft.

qualcomm-develop-phoneThe Android Problem

Google parachuted into this world with Android. The company gave it away for free, didn’t lock it down, and left it unfinished in order to address this huge concern about differentiation. However this became, particularly for tablets, the round peg in a square hole. The OEMs didn’t have the skill set to finish the product, because in a Microsoft world, they didn’t need it. Smartphones and tablets were more like PCs then they were like regular phones. Google didn’t kick back marketing money because it wasn’t being paid. The savings should have allowed the OEMs to fund marketing themselves, but instead they went for more aggressive pricing, leaving nothing for marketing.

So instead of getting better differentiated products, we generally ended up with very similar, less reliable, under-marketed products. There were exceptions. Motorola’s Xoom tablet got a lot of marketing, but was both unfinished and overpriced — to pay for that marketing. Verizon stepped and did the marketing for Motorola and HTC on the Droid phones, but created a new problem for the OEMs because the Droid branding belonged to Verizon – the OEMs were back to being “outsourced hardware” again.

Some of the Android phones are good, many aren’t, and no Android Tablet has even worried Apple yet. More troubling is that Android typically does better with carriers who don’t have the iPhone, suggesting it is just a placeholder until the iPhone gets to that carrier in the latest version.

Google had a good idea, the market just wasn’t ready for it, and Google didn’t know how to fix that problem. Oh, and there is the little problem of 37 ongoing lawsuits, most of which are against the OEMs because the intellectual property in Android isn’t properly protected. Or more accurately put, because folks like Steve Jobs think Google stole it.

In short, under Google, OEMs aren’t subservient to Microsoft anymore, but they are still screwed.

Qualcomm’s fix

Qualcomm is one of a handful of vendors that have a complete hardware package for Android — all of the components from processors, to graphics, to modems and radios. It is even developing screen technology that could be used to more positively differentiate some phones with better battery life and better outdoor view ability.

Qualcomm also has one of the largest patent portfolios in the business, and one of the largest software units. That may mean the company can indemnify more of the phone and better assure the quality of devices that use the full suite of Qualcomm’s offerings. The indemnification part is weak, largely because much of the exposure is sourced in Google and not in anything Qualcomm can do. But the ability to better assure the quality of the phone by helping to complete it is not.

qualcomm-develop-power
Image used with permission by copyright holder

What is interesting is that many of the folks who use Qualcomm’s hardware don’t use their software services, so you can’t just say that a Qualcomm-based phone will be better.

The irony appears to be that there is a problem, there appears to be most of a fix, but the industry doesn’t seem to understand either.

Android isn’t working

Selling lots of products that then get wrapped with litigation or don’t sell isn’t being successful. Google came up with an interesting new alternative to the Microsoft world, but didn’t fix the ecosystem to facilitate it. The result is either low quality or rich attorneys, and in some cases both. Qualcomm is taking the interesting path of trying to step in and assure the quality, and at least partially mitigate the litigation risk, but it is having mixed success. Ultimately, it may simply not be able to address the litigation risk effectively. Google’s response this week appears to be to whine about the unfairness of it all, which doesn’t seem to be working.

This leaves the ball in Google’s court. It needs to either embrace Microsoft’s model, or find a way to utilize companies like Qualcomm to modify the ecosystem so that its new model can work. It might also be wise if Google more seriously addressed its intellectual property problem as well.

Guest contributor Rob Enderle is the founder and principal analyst for the Enderle Group, and one of the most frequently quoted tech pundits in the world. Opinion pieces denote the opinions of the author, and do not necessarily represent the views of Digital Trends.

Editors' Recommendations

Rob Enderle
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Rob is President and Principal Analyst of the Enderle Group, a forward-looking emerging technology advisory firm. Before…
One of 2023’s most interesting Android phones just dropped
Realme GT5 Pro in ornage.

Not too long ago, the Google Pixel 4 arrived on the scene packing a Soli radar system that allowed Motion Sense. It enabled you to snooze alarms, mute calls, control music playback, and more — all by waving your hand over the screen. LG attempted something similar called Air Motion on the LG G8 ThinQ using an array consisting of a time-of-flight (ToF) camera and an infrared sensor.

It was cool to see, but hit-or-miss in real life. Unfortunately, the idea died. Google never put the Soli system on another Pixel phone, and LG shuttered its entire phone division. But apparently, the fascination for controlling a phone with touchless hand gestures lives on.

Read more
Qualcomm’s newest chip will bring AI to cheaper Android phones
Qualcomm Snapdragon 7 Gen 3 artwork.

Qualcomm has a new mobile platform on the table, and this one targets upper-midrange smartphones and promises to bring some new AI tricks. The latest from the chipmaker is the Snapdragon 7 Gen 3, which technically succeeds the Snapdragon 7+ Gen 2, but the company is comparing most of the improvements against the older Snapdragon 7 Gen 1. 
The new platform is said to bring a 15% boost in processing power, a 20% rise in energy efficiency, and a massive 50% jump in graphics capabilities. Based on the 4nm fabrication process, it packs a single prime core, a trio of performance cores, and four efficiency cores. Interestingly, these cores are clocked at a lower frequency compared to those on the Snapdragon 7+ Gen 2. However, this won't be the only area where Qualcomm's latest sounds like a mixed bag.
Qualcomm says the new chip improves AI-assisted face detection accuracy, but it adds that AI also lends a hand at tasks like making sense of routines and how users interact with apps. There are also a handful of new software-side enhancements coming to the Snapdragon Gen 7 series for the first time. 
Those include an AI re-mosaicing system for reducing grainy textures in photos, bringing down noise, and video retouching. Support for Ultra HDR is also a first for the midrange chip. Spatial audio with head tracking and CD-quality wireless audio are a part of the package as well.

The Snapdragon 7 Gen 3 jumps to the X63 cellular modem that promises a higher downlink speed of up to 5Gbps. Interestingly, it adopts the Fast Connect 6700 Bluetooth + Wi-Fi modem instead of the speedier Fast Connect 6900 modem on the Snapdragon 7+ Gen 2. 
The camera capabilities situation is also interesting. The Snapdragon 7 Gen 3 relies on a triple 12-bit ISP system, while the Snapdragon 7+ Gen 2 puts its trust in a more advanced triple 18-bit ISP architecture. The latter allows higher-resolution photo and video capture in single and dual camera configurations. 
In fact, the Snapdragon 7 Gen 3’s ISP steps down to 120 frames-per-second (fps) slo-mo video capture compared to the 1080p 240 fps video recording allowed by its direct predecessor. Overall, it seems like Qualcomm jumped into its parts bin and crafted a half-new midrange chip for Android phones.
Qualcomm says China’s Vivo and Honor are the first adopters of the Snapdragon 7 Gen 3. The first wave of phones powered by the new chip is expected to be announced later this month. 

Read more
The iPhone’s futuristic satellite tech isn’t coming to Android any time soon
The Google Pixel 8's screen.

It could take a while before Android phones allow satellite connectivity to assist users in emergency scenarios, thanks in no part to Qualcomm canceling its ambitious Snapdragon Satellite plans. Apple introduced satellite SOS support last year with the iPhone 14 series, with the intention of helping people when they are out of cellular or broadband coverage range.

The feature allows you to text emergency responders, share locations, and request roadside assistance. But not long after, hope emerged for Android phones. Earlier this year, Qualcomm announced Snapdragon Satellite, with the goal of aping Apple’s initiative for Android phones.

Read more