Qualcomm has created a new computing chip with a Snapdragon processor, with hopes that it can expand its presence in the wearables market. The new computing chip is the Snapdragon Wear 1100, announced just months after the Snapdragon Wear 2100 was launched, which is smaller and uses less power then their previous models.
The Snapdragon Wear 1100 allows a small device like a fitness tracker, to have LTE and 3G connectivity, longer batter life and Wifi and Bluetooth connection. This allows Qualcomm to jump into the market of wearables with devices like fitness trackers and kid’s watches. The new chip will hope to create what Qualcomm calls an “ always connected” experience.
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Anthony Murray, senior vice president and general manager of loT at Qualcomm said, “We are actively working with the broader ecosystem to accelerate wearables innovation and are excited to announce a series of customer collaborations today.” The Snapdragon Wear 1100 is available for shipping today and has been endorsed by and is in collaboration with multiple other tech companies.
Although the wearable market is growing and this new chip will aim to help that growth, there has also been controversy over whether or not fitness wearables are actually working accurately. In a study conducted at Cal Poly Pomona, the Fitbit Surge and Fitbit Charge HR were tested. The results found that the trackers were not measuring the heart rates accurately. Fitbit responded saying that the test was biased and inaccurate.
The accuracy and ability of fitness trackers will hopefully improve with time and technology advancements. New chip improvements like the Snapdragon Wear 1100 coming from a tech giant like Qualcomm can likely only help the wearables industry move forward.