Qualcomm invents technologies that transform how the world connects, computes and communicates. When they connected the phone to the internet, the mobile revolution was born. As they lead the world to 5G, the envision this next big change in cellular technology spurring a new era of intelligent, connected devices and enabling new opportunities in connected cars, remote delivery of health care services, and the IoT — including smart cities, smart homes, and wearable technology. The brand launched the next generation Qualcomm Snapdragon Wear 3100 Platform for smart watches.
The platform is based on a new ultra-low power system architecture designed to deliver a rich interactive mode, new personalised experiences, and extended battery life. The official launch was supported by Google, who discussed the evolution of the Wear OS by Google software platform. The launch also included the announcement of the first Snapdragon Wear 3100 customers.
Snapdragon Wear 3100 platform redefines the system architecture
Snapdragon Wear 3100 is based on a new ultra-low power hierarchical system architecture approach. In this architecture, the high-performance quad core A7 processors, the highly efficient integrated DSP, and a new ultra-low power co-processor work in conjunction with each other to help customers re-imagine new smartwatch experiences.
“Qualcomm Technologies has played a critical role in the evolution of the smartwatch segment and our customers are currently shipping more than 100 Wear OS by Google smartwatches with 25 brands globally based on our existing platforms. “With the Snapdragon Wear 3100 Platform, we envisioned a new ultra-low power system architecture and in collaboration with the latest from the Wear OS by Google team, to help deliver a rich interactive mode, bring in new personalized experiences and support extended battery life for tomorrow’s smart-watches. We are delighted to announce Fossil Group, Louis Vuitton, and Montblanc as their first Snapdragon Wear 3100 customers,” said Qualcomm Technologies senior vice president and general manager, voice, music and wearables, Anthony Murray.
The new co-processor, the Qualcomm QCC1110, has been designed from the ground up and is at the heart of the Snapdragon Wear 3100 platform. It is incredibly small at ~21mm sq, is optimised for ultra-low power operation, and acts as a powerful companion to the main processor, re-defining audio, display, and sensor experiences for next-generation smartwatches. The co-processor also integrates a deep learning engine for custom workloads, such as keyword detection, and is extensible over time.
Additionally, the Snapdragon Wear 3100 platform includes a new wearable power management sub-system (PMW3100) to support lower power and higher integration, brings in a new DSP framework to support next generation sensor processing in an open execution environment, and implements a new dual display architecture to support the hierarchical approach. The 4G LTE modem, proven in mobile applications, and which has already shipped over one billion units, is paired with new high-performance Gallium Arsenide power amplifiers, which helps to increase power efficiency in smartwatches.
Snapdragon Wear 3100 based smartwatches aim to enrich the user experience
“Together with Qualcomm Technologies and the ecosystem, Wear OS by Google has enabled a vibrant set of wearable devices, offering consumers with great choice and diversity. We’re excited to see Qualcomm Technologies’ new Snapdragon Wear 3100, their continued investment in the wearable space, and we look forward to the ecosystem bringing the next generation of smartwatch technology to the industry,” said Google Wear OS director of product management, Dennis Troper.
Working together to extend the benefits of the platform
Fossil Group, Louis Vuitton, and Montblanc were announced as the first customers to launch products based on the Snapdragon Wear 3100 platform. These companies are working to bring beautiful smartwatches for a diverse set of consumers including lifestyle sports users, fashionable travelers, and those seeking a high-end luxury smart timepiece.
“Qualcomm Technologies brings Fossil Group the latest technology that helps connect products into the lifestyle of their consumers, and this latest chip is no exception. Our collaboration enables our constant reinvention of the smartwatch. As technology is enhanced, so are the product innovations and designs that we are able to offer our customers,” said Fossil Group executive vice president Steve Evans.
“Louis Vuitton has long been known for combining tradition and modernity in the luxury world,” With the Louis Vuitton Tambour Horizon smartwatch, we collaborated with Google and Qualcomm Technologies to combine our exquisite design and watch-making know-how with the best of technology, in order to delight our customers. We are excited about the new possibilities that Snapdragon Wear 3100 brings to our customers and are working with Qualcomm Technologies to bring another beautiful smartwatch to the industry,” said Louis Vuitton Malletier senior vice president of finance and administration, Eric Pradon.
Built for travel, fitness or exploration, Summit 2 is a versatile companion created for urban explorers, business travelers and performance seekers looking to push boundaries in everything they do,”Built for travel, fitness or exploration, Summit 2 is a versatile companion created for urban explorers, business travelers and performance seekers looking to push boundaries in everything they do. Designed for both men and women, Summit 2 perfectly bridges fine watchmaking and state-of-the art technology. This watch is built to seamlessly power them through their everyday adventures stylishly and reliably,” explains, Montblanc CEO Nicolas Baretzki.
The Snapdragon Wear 3100 platform comes in three variants targeting Bluetooth and Wi-Fi tethered smartwatches, GPS-based tethered smartwatches, and 4G LTE connected smartwatches.
