Qualcomm is developing a mobile gaming platform running Android
Reports indicate that Qualcomm is developing a mobile gaming platform that runs on Android system, similar to the Nintendo Switch.
The mobile gaming platform is powered by Qualcomm chips and could hit store shelves by next year.
According to the information, the mobile gaming platform contains detachable controllers similar to Joy-Con, an SD card slot, Android 12 and 5G, and a huge battery with a capacity of 6000 mAh.
While the physical dimensions are not clear, the screen could be 6.65 inches, with a resolution of at least 1080 pixels (the Nintendo Switch screen comes in at 6.2 inches and a resolution of 720 pixels).
The portable gaming console looks like a large smartphone with connected controls and active cooling.
And while the Nintendo Switch looks like a gigantic phone as well, it has a library of games that no one else can play, which is its biggest feature.
There are a lot of gaming experiences that can be tried on the Android system, from old emulators to games, such as Fortnite and Genshin Impact, but Qualcomm should give customers a reason to play these games on a separate device, instead of gaming phones running on Qualcomm chips and with built-in buttons. Or control extensions.
Qualcomm wants the device to be commercially available, and potentially in carriers' retail stores.
The mobile console's target price appears to be $ 300, which is the full-size Nintendo Switch price.
The cheapest phone with Qualcomm's flagship Snapdragon 888 processor, Realme GT 5G, costs around $ 430 and is sold only in China.
One source believes the product is more of a reference design than anything that can hit store shelves.
Chip makers, including Qualcomm, often build hardware samples to help other manufacturers design devices based on their processors.
And sometimes, these reference products end up being sold by other companies under different brands, which are known as white label products.
It should be noted that the dispute between the sources may be due to the uncertainty of Qualcomm itself, as the sources believe that this project is still separated by a full year after completion, so the company may not yet know with certainty what it wants to become.
Whether or not the device ends up as a product, it appears that Qualcomm is designing and building a dedicated Android game console as interest in the mobile gaming market grows.