Qualcomm may be about to a notable client if the latest rumours turn out to be true.
Chinese device maker Xiaomi is said to be working on its own mobile application processors which will reportedly go by the Pinecone name.
At the moment, Xiaomi is said to be working on two chips, the V670 and V970 (see specifics in the source link below), all targeted at some of its future high-end devices.
The company currently relies on chips from American silicon giant Qualcomm and Taiwan-based MediaTek to power its broad range of mobile devices that cuts across all market segments. MediaTek chips power Xiaomi’s budget devices like the Redmi Pro while Qualcomm’s chips can be found in its premium offerings like the Mi5 and Mi5s.
If indeed this happens then Xiaomi won’t be the first company to go this route nor is it likely to be the last. Most notable Android device makers have turned to their own inhouse options in recent years. Samsung is well known for its own Exynos chips. Huawei has been making significant strides with its Kirin processors which are supplied by subsidiary HiSilicon with the most recent high-end chip from the company (the Kirin 960 found on the Mate 9) being ranked as one of the best performing SoCs in the market at the moment. LG is set to start making its own chips using Intel foundries.
