Qualcomm has published a blog post celebrating its inventions and innovations that have led to some “world firsts” on Android.
As seen in the above table, Qualcomm is citing “Android-first” features it played a part in introducing, such as a bezel-less design in the Xiaomi Mi Mix, 4K display in the Sony Xperia XZ Premium and the iris authentication in the Samsung Galaxy S8.
It’s important to note, however, that not all items listed are completely accurate. For instance: the HTC One M7 didn’t have a dual-camera, and the HTC U11 is getting Bluetooth 5, but doesn’t have it yet — it’s expected to come with Android O later this year.
“We’ve worked closely with Google and leading smartphone OEMs all along, including Samsung, LG, HTC and Motorola/Lenovo,” Qualcomm says in its post. “We also work closely with new entrants so that they can become tomorrow’s leaders.”
However, despite mentioning so many Android manufacturers, Qualcomm notably never refers to the iPhone by name at all, instead mentioning “Android and other platforms” at one point in the article.
The timing of the post doesn’t seem to be coincidental, either, with Apple and the iPhone hot in the news due to the impending September 12th reveal event and the leaks leading up to it. What’s more, Apple and Qualcomm have been engaged in a heated legal battle for some time now.
Back in January, the iPhone maker sued Qualcomm for $1 billion USD, accusing the company of imposing unfair licensing agreements upon smartphone manufacturers. Apple said it would withhold royalties from Qualcomm until the legal disputes were resolved. Qualcomm, meanwhile, counter-sued, stating that Apple opting to not pay royalties is a breach of contract. Last week, a U.S. federal judge ruled that Apple’s lawsuits against Qualcomm can proceed.
In the meantime, consumers can see what’s next to come from Apple with its iPhone reveal event tomorrow. MobileSyrup will be in attendance during the Cupertino-held presentation, which will also be livestreamed for those around the world. A breakdown of what to expect from the keynote can also be found here.
MobileSyrup may earn a commission from purchases made via our links, which helps fund the journalism we provide free on our website. These links do not influence our editorial content. Support us here.
