Anyone who has ever owned a feature-packed smartwatch will be well aware of the biggest issue of these devices. Battery life has long been a major frustration for users with the power constantly under strain due to the ever-growing list of upgrades. With most now featuring always-on screens, constant heart monitoring, sleep tracking and music playback they often won’t last more than 24-hours without needing a refill.
However, things might be about to change thanks to US chipmaker Qualcomm with the company announcing the release of a new processor that promises to be ultra-efficient.
In fact, the firm says that its new Snapdragon W5+ Gen 1 and Snapdragon W5 Gen 1 are focused on offering extended battery life with enhancements that mean devices powered by these brains will use 50 percent less juice.
Although no specific battery life stats have been supplied, this could mean watches will last a whole weekend away without needing to pack a charger.
Along with being way more efficient, the W5+ Gen 1 and Snapdragon W5 Gen 1 also offer improved performance whilst being 30 percent smaller.
That size will be hugely significant for manufacturers as it will allow them to produce sleeker and less bulky wearables – that’s something more and more consumers desire.
So far, tech firms including Oppo and Mobvoi have confirmed that they will be featuring these new chips in their upcoming watches with more expected to follow.
“The wearables industry continues to grow and present opportunities across multiple segments at an unprecedented pace,” said Pankaj Kedia, senior director, product marketing, and global head of Smart Wearables, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. “The new wearable platforms –Snapdragon W5+ and Snapdragon W5 –represent our most advanced leap yet. Purpose-built for next generation wearables, these platforms address the most pressing consumer needsby delivering ultra-low power, breakthrough performance, and highly integrated packaging. Additionally, we extend our proven hybrid architecture with new low power innovations such as Deep Sleep and Hibernate states delighting consumers with premium user experiences while extending battery life.”
This news comes as Samsung is expected to reveal its new Galaxy Watch next month. Although it’s unlikely that this latest wearable will feature that Qualcomm chip it’s likely it will arrive with more health features and faster speeds.
