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Qualcomm wowed Mobile World Congress with a series of networking-focused announcements that lay the groundwork for the next decade of communications. The upcoming innovations relate to hardware solutions coming to market in the run-up to and beyond 2026. We are talking about two new chips: a modem and a network card.
The X105 5G model is positioned as the 5th generation of the company’s 5G AI processors. The manufacturer claims to integrate agent AI to improve efficiency in various use cases, although no specific examples are given. At the same time, the key hardware upgrade is a new RF transceiver that reduces power consumption by 30% compared to last year’s X85 and simultaneously reduces physical size by 15%.
This means positive changes for future Snapdragon-based smartphones. However, for those who look beyond the current update cycle, the launch of the FastConnect 8800 is more significant. Although Wi-Fi 7 is still in its early stages of adoption for most users, the company is already preparing the next generation with the introduction of the AI Native Wi-Fi NIC.
The FastConnect 8800 doubles the maximum Wi-Fi speed compared to previous Wi-Fi 7-based FastConnect solutions while maintaining the 6nm process technology. This was achieved thanks to a redesigned 4×4 radio module configuration that simultaneously provides up to 3 times the range of a gigabit connection compared to previous standards. In addition, the chip supports Bluetooth 7.0 and Bluetooth HDT High Data Throughput. The latter technology is an evolution of Bluetooth LE and increases the maximum data transfer rate to 7.5 Mbps, which significantly exceeds the LE limit of 2 Mbps.
Along with this solution, the company announced a whole line of Dragonwing Wi-Fi 8 IoT and enterprise products, which are expected to hit the market in late 2026.
In the longer term, Qualcomm announced the creation of a strategic coalition with unnamed industry partners to prepare for the global launch of 6G, which is scheduled to begin in 2029. In the announcement, 6G is described as an AI Native network focused on combining connectivity, wide-area sensing, and high-performance computing. The wording leaves many open questions regarding specific practical application scenarios. The main focus is on AI-based services, including agent devices for consumers and enterprise solutions, which have not yet become widespread.
The company states that the first phase of global deployment will start in 2029, followed by a wider network scale-up. By 2028, the company plans to finalize 6G standards and technical specifications, which should lay the groundwork for the emergence of interoperable commercial 6G systems in a year’s time.
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