Almost all astrophysicists agree that the origin of everything began with the Big Bang—not the famous music group, but a real cosmic expansion in the void. Around 13.7 billion years ago, the universe emerged from an extremely hot and dense singularity, marking the birth of time itself. This initial point is considered the first singularity in the history of the cosmos.
As human civilization advanced, progress accelerated, leading to exponential growth in technology and knowledge. Today, futurists are speculating when the next technological singularity will occur—some predict 2045, others 2030. While the exact date remains uncertain, what matters most is who will drive the breakthroughs in fundamental research and development, especially in information technology, which is closely tied to this potential turning point.
At the 2018 Mobile World Congress (MWC), several clues pointed toward artificial intelligence as the next major technological singularity for humanity.
(Qualcomm MWC booth)
5G Sprint: Qualcomm Completes Real Network Simulation Experiment
As a foundational technology, 5G is expected to generate products and services worth up to $12 trillion by 2035. Qualcomm has been a key player in developing 5G’s underlying technologies. Its CEO once remarked that “the impact of 5G on the world economy will be similar to the emergence of electricity or automobiles.â€
During MWC, Qualcomm shared the results of its extensive 5G network simulation experiments conducted in Frankfurt, Germany, and San Francisco, USA, across both the 3.5GHz band and the 28GHz millimeter wave band. The results showed a fivefold increase in network capacity compared to the current Cat. 20 Gigabit LTE network. Additionally, the experiments achieved 7x and 23x improvements in response speed, significantly enhancing user experience. In San Francisco, the average web browsing download speed reached 1.4 Gbps. Beyond faster speeds, 5G also improves video streaming quality, allowing users to enjoy 8K, 120 frames per second, and 10-bit color videos—a dramatic leap from the 2K, 30 fps, 8-bit color content available on LTE networks.
With these breakthroughs, Qualcomm continues to focus on sharing 5G technology efficiently with partners. To simplify the complex 5G ecosystem, Qualcomm introduced the Snapdragon 5G module solution during MWC, integrating over 1,000 components into a few modules covering digital, RF, connectivity, and front-end functions. This solution is expected to be available in 2019, enabling manufacturers to bring 5G devices to market faster and at lower costs.
The world's first 5G chipset, the Qualcomm X50 5G modem, was adopted by 20 global terminal manufacturers, including ASUS, LG, OPPO, Xiaomi, and ZTE. These companies are preparing to launch early 5G smartphones in 2019. Meanwhile, many wireless network operators, such as AT&T, China Mobile, and Verizon, have also selected the X50 modem for 5G trials in both sub-6GHz and millimeter wave bands.
Interoperability among different vendors is crucial for 5G commercialization. In November 2017, Qualcomm, ZTE, and China Mobile successfully completed the world’s first end-to-end 5G new air interface system based on 3GPP R15 standards. At MWC, Qualcomm demonstrated 5G R15 interoperability tests involving ZTE, Huawei, Ericsson, Nokia, and Samsung, covering both sub-6GHz and millimeter wave bands.
Chinese operators and manufacturers are deeply collaborating with Qualcomm, highlighting the company’s strong commitment to the Chinese market. In January 2018, Qualcomm announced a “5G pilot plan†with several Chinese manufacturers, aiming to support the global 5G opportunity and help upgrade China’s smartphone industry to a higher level.
The future of 5G also depends on the continuous evolution of 4G LTE. On the eve of MWC, Qualcomm released the Snapdragon X24 LTE modem, bringing 4G LTE to the 2Gbps era. It is the world’s first 7nm FinFET-based chip, and according to GSA, it currently offers the fastest downlink speed in the market.
AI: Moving Toward the Terminal Side
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is another critical technology driving the next singularity, giving terminals the ability to learn and adapt. Traditionally, AI training and reasoning were done in the cloud or on servers. However, in recent years, there has been a shift toward processing AI tasks directly on the device, improving performance, data privacy, and reliability.
At MWC, Qualcomm introduced the AI Engine, a hardware and software suite designed to accelerate AI experiences on Snapdragon platforms. The AI Engine integrates Qualcomm Hexagon vector processors, Adreno GPUs, and Kryo CPUs, offering flexible support for various AI functions, data types, and accuracy requirements. This enables efficient and fast AI execution on the device side.
Many smartphone manufacturers, including Xiaomi, OPPO, vivo, and Asus, have already adopted the AI Engine to enhance their AI applications. Some are planning to use it in future flagship models. Qualcomm has also partnered with leading AI software companies and cloud service providers to optimize AI use cases on the Snapdragon platform, such as image recognition, face unlocking, and interactive features on mobile apps like QQ.
Various Types of Terminals: Enhancing the User Experience
At MWC, the Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 mobile platform won the GTI Mobile Technology Innovation Breakthrough Award. Designed for immersive multimedia and AI experiences, the 845 is set to redefine how people interact with technology.
Several flagship phones, including the Samsung Galaxy S9, Sony Xperia XZ2, and Xiaomi MIX 2S, now feature the Snapdragon 845. Additionally, Qualcomm launched the Snapdragon 700 series, aimed at affordable devices, bringing advanced features to a broader audience.
Qualcomm also unveiled a new VR reference platform based on the Snapdragon 845, supporting both smartphone and standalone VR headsets. In the AR and VR space, the company has enabled over 20 devices, including Google Daydream, Oculus, and Vive headsets.
In the PC market, ASUS, HP, and Lenovo have launched new Windows 10 devices powered by Qualcomm’s mobile PC platform, offering always-connected computing via LTE networks. These “always-on PCs†combine smartphone-like connectivity with powerful Windows 10 capabilities, transforming how people work and play.
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