Qualcomm Inc. (NASDAQ: QCOM) announced that it has renewed its global patent license agreement with Apple Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL). The new agreement is effective as of April 1, 2027. The company stated that this renewal allows it to continue expanding beyond smartphones into other areas to diversify its business.
During the Snapdragon Summit in Hawaii, Qualcomm highlighted the capabilities of its Snapdragon processor in the personal AI sector. Senior Vice President Ziad Asghar described Snapdragon as the platform for the 'agentic age,' noting that it brings the 'personal' to personal AI. The company unveiled the Snapdragon Sound Elite Gen 2, a premium audio platform designed for personal AI. Asghar stated that these devices will provide users with capabilities that other devices cannot enable.
Qualcomm CEO Cristiano Amon emphasized that personal devices are shifting from simply operating apps to fulfilling user intents. He described the current era as the beginning of the 'agentic age,' where the AI acts to do more for the user rather than asking for more input. Amon noted that the technology designed for data centers is now scaled for smartphones.
The company showcased partnerships with Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ: MSFT), which displayed two new Surface PCs powered by Snapdragon. Lenovo also presented a PC powered by the processor. Qualcomm reported that nine different smartphone companies have committed to using its new chipsets, including Motorola and Xiaomi. Alphabet (NASDAQ: GOOG) (NASDAQ: GOOGL) highlighted new Google laptops powered by Snapdragon that feature Gemini capabilities.
