Qualcomm launches two new smartphone chips with emphasis on AI - TechCrunch

Qualcomm unveiled two new flagship smartphone processors at its annual Snapdragon Summit, the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 and the Snapdragon 8 Elite Extreme Gen 6, both centered on advancing AI-focused features.
The chips include new sensing hubs capable of running small models of up to 200 million parameters, enabling local features like a personal scribe, speaker differentiation, and usage-based memory for task automation, plus full voice-in and voice-out agent functionality.
The high-end Extreme version can run a 30-billion-parameter mixture-of-experts (MoE) model locally, activating only certain parameters per task; for comparison, Apple released a 20-billion-parameter MoE model at its WWDC in June.
On the camera side, the new CPU offers pixel-level control, improved stabilization, and motion understanding, while the Extreme version supports 8K 60fps and 4K240 slow-motion recording and enables the new Advanced Professional Video (APV) codec.
Both chips use AI to enhance vocals and cut noise, and feature Qualcomm's new voice bubble tech that isolates a user's voice during calls.
Motorola announced its Motorola Signature 27 smartphone powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite Extreme Gen 6, with general availability expected this year, amid growing industry belief—echoed by figures like Nothing's Carl Pei and Apple CEO John Ternus—that phones will be central to AI use.