- Qualcomm CEO Cristiano Amon said the company’s upcoming Snapdragon Summit in October could lead to major advances in mobile technology.
- New cases from smartphone makers and other manufacturers the company works with “could create a new upgrade cycle for phones,” Amon said.
- In 2022, global smartphone sales will fall 18.3% year-on-year to 1.21 billion, the lowest level since 2013, according to data from market research firm IDC.
Qualcomm Inc. Chairman and CEO Cristiano Amon speaks during the company’s press event for CES 2022 at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center on January 4, 2022 in Las Vegas, Nevada. CES, the world’s largest annual consumer technology trade show, is being held in person from January 5-7, with some companies deciding to participate only virtually or canceling their presence due to concerns about a sharp rise in COVID-19 cases.
Ethan Miller | Getty Images
The CEO of US chip giant Qualcomm thinks artificial intelligence can give the smartphone market a new lease on life.
Speaking in an interview with CNBC’s Arjun Kharpal on Tuesday, Qualcomm CEO Cristiano Amon said he sees significant opportunities in AI ahead and that the company’s upcoming Snapdragon Summit in October could lead to big developments in mobile technology.
“The (Snapdragon) Summit is going to be around the incredible use cases we’re seeing from our OEMs (original equipment manufacturers) and phones and … could create a new upgrade cycle for phones.”
“We don’t know the timing, but it’s definitely happening,” Amon said.
Smartphone sales have declined this year as consumers have become more cost-conscious.
Many people are opting not to upgrade their devices, as they see little difference between today’s phones versus older models with already sophisticated cameras and processors.
In 2022, global smartphone sales will fall 11.3% year-on-year to 1.21 billion, the lowest level since 2013, according to data from market research firm IDC.
“You look at what Microsoft is doing for the PC and think about the ability to run ChatGPT and other models locally,” Amon said. “So, once those items are in the hands of consumers, I think it’s going to materialize … we just have to wait.”
Amon said Qualcomm is taking a different path to its arch semiconductor rival Nvidia in the AI ​​space — one that involves bringing AI to smartphones and other devices rather than data centers, Nvidia’s more focused area.
“We’re in a little bit of a different division… I think we see an opportunity,” Amon said. “I think that will reflect when that opportunity comes to fruition. You just haven’t made it happen yet.”
“But it’s important for you to see the activity. You hear a lot about general AI. And you see what’s happening right now with ChhatGPT and those things (and) the data center — we’re doing something different. We’re. Actually bringing AI to the device. is.”