New rumors suggest that Asus may be targeting to release one of the very first smartphones powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon 820 processor.
If this is true, then Asus' upcoming PadFone S2 might debut sometime in March of next year.
According to various sources, Asus is targeting to launch the PadFone S2 as a flagship killer due to its high-end specs.
Like LG's current main brand-carrier, the G4, the PadFone S2 is expected to sport a 5.5-inch Quad HD diagonal display. It will come with an impressive 21-megapixel main camera and an 8-megapixel shooter that's perfect for taking selfies.
Also, since members of Asus's PadFone line are known as hybrid devices, specifically a combination of a smartphone and a tablet, the PadFone S2 will come with two batteries. The handset will run on a 3,060mAh battery while its 10.1-inch tablet dock will have a separate 5,100mAh battery pack.
Probably the most interesting detail regarding the leaks surrounding Asus's upcoming device is its processor. According to Mobipicker, the PadFone S2 is expected to come with the Snapdragon 820.
This chipset model was first unveiled by Qualcomm earlier in March of this year during the Mobile World Congress. According to the company, the Snapdragon 820 is a 64-bit CPU made from a FinFet process node. This technology allows manufacturers to create small chips by arranging them in 3D configurations.
The company did not go into detail regarding all the features of the Snapdragon 820 but said that it will have better fingerprint scanner support for smartphones made from different materials.
As 9to5Google pointed out, it seems Qualcomm is depending on its upcoming flagship CPU to improve its reputation in the consumer tech industry. A couple of months ago, the chip maker found itself in the middle of a controversy brought on by the overheating problems associated with its Snapdragon 810 processor.
Because of the issues, various major tech firms decided not to equip their new devices with Qualcomm's processor. Samsung, for example, went with its own Exynos CPU for the Galaxy S6 while LG opted for the older Snapdragon 808 processor for its G4 handset.
Hopefully, the Snapdragon 820 will be able revive Qualcomm's status as to go-to chip supplier for high-end devices.
As to when the public can expect to see smartphones wielding the Snapdragon 820, Phone Arena reported that Qualcomm will begin shipping out the processor in December for testing purposes.
It will then be unveiled along with handsets what are scheduled to be released in March, 2016. If rumors about the Asus PadFone S2 are true, then the Snapdragon 820-powered device might debut next year.
