A couple of days back, rumors emerged claiming that Samsung was working hard to deal with heating problems found while testing the Snapdragon 820 processor in its upcoming Galaxy S7. Although it’s similar to the rumors surrounding the SD810 last year, it was still surprising. Qualcomm stated earlier in the year that its next processor has enhanced performance and efficiency. A stance which the manufacturer was keen to repeat on Weibo having seen those Samsung rumors:
Some recent media reports about Xiaolong 820 rumors performance is not real news.Xiaolong 820 processor all IP modules are to achieve improvement and enhancement, and the use of second-generation 14-nanometer manufacturing process. Xiaolong 820 reached all our design specifications. More importantly, the Xiaolong 820 OEM manufacturers to meet the requirements of its terminal cooling and performance specifications
Qualcomm is no stranger to controversy surrounding the performance of its mobile processors. Last year, the Snapdragon 810 was dropped from the Galaxy S6 before launch, allegedly due to overheating problems. (Qualcomm denied those reports too.) Even devices that shipped with the chip had to under-clock them to deal with the problem, forcing Qualcomm to ship a revised edition. This was a major factor in Qualcomm’s disastrous year. A lack of confidence in new Snapdragon processors, and the rise of competitive lower-priced chips forced the company to make drastic cuts.
The Snapdragon 820, like its predecessor, is facing controversy even before it’s launched, and that’s not good news for Qualcomm. Even if the rumors aren’t true, it won’t do much to inspire confidence in the brand and could lead to a rise in orders from companies like MediaTek and Intel.
