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Mobile Snapdragon chip to hit 1.5Ghz, dual-core in 2010

Smartphones are about to get a while lot faster, according to a Qualcomm exec.

Reactions to the Nexus One have been mixed now that the hardware is out, but one place that surely isn't lacking is the Snapdragon processor. With a 1Ghz clock speed, the Nexus One is one of the fastest smartphones available. Riding the wave of positive hype, Qualcomm has announced in an interview with Hexus that the Snapdragon will evolve this year to push the boundaries of mobile computing even further.

First in the lineup is the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8X50A, which would be a smaller 45nm version of the chip currently available. This chip would run at a blistering 1.3Ghz and with a more compact form, it should be expected to run cooler and require less battery power.

The second version in the pipeline is a dual-core Snapdragon (8X72) sporting a pair of Scorpion cores at 1.5Ghz. The 8X72 is expected to be out by the end of the year and should be able to power 1080p video in smartphones and netbooks.

Qualcomm isn't the first to talk about bringing HD video to smartphones and other mobile gadgets. Nvidia's Tegra chip, which powers the ZuneHD, can power 720p video playback. last year, Arm discussed its plans for a 32-nanometer smartphone processor that could allow smartphones to play 1080p video. At the time it was reported that Arm's chip will come out early this year, so we might hear more about it at next month's Mobile World Congress show in Barcelona.

But if Qualcomm is able to write a successful sequel on the Snapdragon story, it looks like we'll be in for a whole new world of mobile computing at the end of this year. Dual-core processing in my phone? Yes please!

(Hexus via Gizmodo)

Follow @ geektech on Twitter for more news on hardware, hacks, and cutting-edge tech.

Nominations for the 2012 ARN IT Industry Awards open on Tuesday, June 12.

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