The Snapdragon X80 is Qualcomm’s newest modem-RF system, and marks an upgrade over the X75 predecessor, which drives cellular connections on Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 phones including the OnePlus 12 and the Galaxy S24 series.
On the latest X80, likely to be available on the Snapdragon 8 Gen 4, Qualcomm is focusing on improving communications using AI. While it uses the same dedicated AI accelerator chip — the Qualcomm 5G AI Processor Gen 2 — as the X75, Qualcomm says this is the first time AI is leveraged to extend the range of 5G connections. This is also the first chip to support 6X carrier aggregation in downlink streams.
The main highlight of the new Snapdragon X80 modem is native support for satellite-based connection for emergency communications. This isn’t the first time Qualcomm mentions ground-to-satellite connectivity: In 2023, it announced satellite connectivity would arrive on phones with Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processors starting later in the year, but instead abandoned the project due to reluctance from phone makers.
Qualcomm doesn’t specify what’s different this time except for the new mention on Narrowband. Qualcomm claimed connectivity across the globe for the previous version, surpassing the limitations of the iPhone 14 and 15 series, which are currently the only phones supporting satellite-based services. The fate of satellite connectivity on Android phones is still unclear, but it’s expected to take several months before it’s implemented in newer handsets.
