Dr. Augustine Fou's Online Scrapbook: drag2share: Qualcomm's two new 1GHz dual-core chipsets make S1-to-S4 migration easier for manufacturers (updated)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/08/qualcomms-two-new-1ghz-dual-core-chipsets-make-s1-to-s4-migrati/

If the most recent batch of S4 chips from Qualcomm wasn't enough to completely satiate your thirst for new SoC's, the folks from San Diego are adding two more options to the already heapin' pile. At the 2011 Uplinq China Conference in Shenzhen, Qualcomm announced the MSM8625 and MSM8225 S4-class dual-core chipsets, both of which can clock up to 1GHz and pack an Adreno 203 GPU plus a 3G modem. While these numbers aren't relatively exciting at this day and age, the real selling point here is that these chips are actually software and hardware-compatible with the entry-level MSM7x27A and MSM7x25A S1 chips, meaning some of the existing S1-based designs can be quickly and easily adapted to these new S4 chips. Interested manufacturers can nab some of this new silicon from the third-generation Qualcomm Reference Design program -- which was also announced today featuring the new industrial designing service -- or standalone in the first half of 2012, but let's just hope we won't end up seeing too many familiar-looking phones. Press release attached after the break.

Zach Lutz contributed to this report.

Update: We just did a hands-on with one of Qualcomm's new 1.5GHz reference designs -- the one we played with had Dianxin OS installed, but we also came across one powered by Aliyun OS. Neither were running smoothly but we've been told they had to rush them, so we'll give them the benefit of the doubt. Anyhow, enjoy the photos.

Gallery: Qualcomm Reference Design "QRD 1.5"