New Technology Emerges for Android Phones, Leaving iPhone Behind
The technology giant Qualcomm has launched its latest chip, specifically designed to run AI directly on mobile phones. Named the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6, this product is prepared to compete with Apple’s flagship chip, the A20 Pro, in the premium smartphone market.
Qualcomm’s new chip launch comes at a difficult time for the mobile industry. Memory component prices have surged sharply, leading to higher handset retail prices, while unit sales are projected to drop by 14 per cent throughout this year.
Amidst falling demand, manufacturers are now competing by offering artificial intelligence capabilities as a primary attraction to encourage consumers to upgrade to new devices.
The Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 is produced using 2-nanometer technology, the most advanced manufacturing process currently available, ensuring much faster performance while being more power-efficient and extending battery life. The chip features three integrated processing cores: a CPU unit for general performance, a GPU unit for graphics and gaming needs, and a dedicated NPU unit entirely dedicated to handling all AI tasks without burdening other parts of the system.
“We are moving towards a transition from a phone-centric model to an agentic-centric model, for a new experience,” said Qualcomm CEO Cristiano Amon, as quoted by CNBC International on Wednesday (23/9/2026).
Qualcomm’s new technology enables phones to run AI models with up to 30 billion parameters entirely on the device itself, without relying on the internet or cloud services. This ensures instantaneous responses without delay and ensures user data does not need to be sent elsewhere. A variant named the Snapdragon 8 Elite Extreme Gen 6 is also available, offering further enhanced capabilities for devices prioritising peak performance. The entire system is equipped with specialised security to regulate access to personal data while artificial intelligence operates in the background.
Qualcomm is working closely with Google to ensure the Gemini AI assistant runs optimally on this chip. Processing occurring directly on the phone allows the system to understand the user’s current context. For instance, if a person is in a car, the system can recognise the situation and adjust the type of information presented. If travelling, schedules and related information can be managed without sending personal data to external servers.
All processing remains within the device, ensuring information confidentiality and security. “We are transitioning from merely smartphones to assistants that complete tasks for you,” said Qualcomm President Cristiano Amon during the launch event. “AI is no longer just following commands, but helping to complete the things you need.”
The launch of this latest chip takes place amidst challenges facing the overall mobile industry. Memory component prices have experienced a sharp increase, driving up mobile production costs, and global device shipments are expected to decline by 14 per cent in 2026, with a potential further decline of one per cent in 2027.
Manufacturers are now focusing their efforts on high-end devices, as the consumer group capable of purchasing expensive devices continues to buy. Well-known names in the Indonesian market, such as Xiaomi, Motorola, and ZTE, are among the manufacturers that will utilise this chip in their upcoming products.
This change will be directly felt by millions of mobile users in the country. Artificial intelligence capabilities are becoming more accessible as they do not require expensive service subscriptions or high-speed internet connections, although the price of new phones is likely to remain high in the near future due to rising component costs.
On the other hand, increasingly powerful processing capabilities mean that phones purchased today will remain capable of running the latest applications and features for several years, thereby extending their lifespan. Because all processing is performed on-device, personal information is not sent to external servers, meaning the risk of data leaks or misuse can be significantly reduced.