Qualcomm Snapdragon 4s Gen 2 Brings 5G to Even Cheaper Smartphones

Qualcomm has unveiled its latest mobile platform, the Snapdragon 4s Gen 2, designed to make 5G technology more accessible and affordable.

This new chipset aims to make some of the best budget phones even better to use, delivering improved performance, longer battery life and excellent camera capabilities without the usual extra cost.

Here’s a detailed look at the launch schedule, which phones will feature this new chipset, and what specs and features it brings.

When will the Snapdragon 4s Gen 2 launch?

The Snapdragon 4s Gen 2 was officially unveiled by Qualcomm on July 30, 2024.

While an exact release date hasn’t been revealed, we can expect the Snapdragon 4s Gen 2 to be widely available soon.

So when will we see the first Snapdragon 4s Gen 2 phones? Qualcomm is being vague on the matter, but says commercial devices with the chipset are “expected to be announced before the end of this year.”

Which phones will use the Snapdragon 4s Gen 2?

Qualcomm has confirmed that Xiaomi will be the first major company to adopt the Snapdragon 4s Gen 2 in its devices. Other brands under the Xiaomi umbrella such as Poco and Redmi are also expected to integrate this chipset in their upcoming devices.

Chris Martin / Foundry

Other than that, we currently don’t know of any other brands that would unveil phones with this chip.

However, any phone maker that makes budget phones and uses Snapdragon chipsets in their phones could realistically use the 4s Gen 2. Samsung tends to opt for its own Exynos chips in cheaper phones, so don’t expect a Snapdragon 4s Gen 2 Galaxy.

What are the specifications and features of the Snapdragon 4s Gen 2?

Performance

The Snapdragon 4s Gen 2 is built on a 4nm process node, which significantly improves power efficiency and performance compared to 5nm or 7nm processors.

The processor, a Qualcomm Kryo, is said to reach peak speeds of 2GHz, with a mix of two performance cores and six efficiency cores.

According to Qualcomm, users can expect all-day battery life thanks to Quick Charge 4+ technology, which can charge phone batteries up to 50% in just 15 minutes.

The processor also supports UFS 3.1 storage for faster data processing and application performance, as well as fast LPDDR4X memory.

Connectivity

The most interesting aspect of the Snapdragon 4s Gen 2 is its ability to support 5G. This chip integrates the Snapdragon 5G Modem-RF system, which supports download speeds of up to 1 Gbps via mobile data.

Additional connectivity features include Qualcomm Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac) with dual-frequency band support, Bluetooth 5.1 technology for enhanced wireless communication, and dual-frequency GNSS (L1 + L5) and NavIC for improved location accuracy.

Qualcomm

Cameras

According to Qualcomm, the Snapdragon 4s Gen 2 also offers advanced camera and multimedia capabilities to enhance the user experience.

The dual 12-bit Qualcomm Spectra ISP supports up to 84MP photo capture, 1080p video capture at 60fps, and various advanced features such as multi-frame noise reduction and video image stabilization.

It supports FHD+ displays at 90fps for smooth gaming and media consumption. Sound is enhanced with Qualcomm Aqstic audio codec and aptX adaptive audio to ensure high-fidelity sound reproduction and vocal clarity.

AI Features

Finally, AI improvements in the Snapdragon 4s Gen 2 are said to enable smarter interactions and improved security.

AI-powered voice activation enables voice commands with enhanced noise cancellation. The chipset also includes Qualcomm Trusted Execution Environment and other security services to protect user data and privacy.

The Snapdragon 4s Gen 2 looks promising on paper, but will it end up “redefining the entry-level mobile experience” as Qualcomm hopes? Time will tell, but it could significantly improve the performance of some of the cheapest smartphones on the market.

More interested in Qualcomm flagships? Check out our separate articles on the current Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 and the upcoming Snapdragon 8 Gen 4.