Qualcomm

Qualcomm has revealed a new solution for working across multiple devices and operating systems. 

Introduced at the Qualcomm Snapdragon Summit in Hawaii on Tuesday, Snapdragon Seamless is a bolt-on for the company's next-generation platforms that will make interconnectivity between devices a smooth transition, according to the San Diego-based chip maker.

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Many of us are now in hybrid and remote job roles, in which connectivity is more crucial than ever. Even when we are fully office-based, being available via our mobile phones can be just as important. However, when you are trying to work on or access corporate resources via multiple devices, synchronization can be a challenging process and a hindrance to productivity.  

Consumer technology often presents the same hurdles, with a lack of cross-functionality between software developers, vendors, and original device manufacturers creating technology lock-in. In other words, customers feel bound to stick with one vendor or ecosystem to ensure that their devices play well together. 

Snapdragon Seamless aims to bridge these gaps in operability. At the summit, Qualcomm said its cross-platform technology "allows Android, Windows, and Snapdragon devices using other operating systems to discover each other and share information to work as one integrated system."

According to Qualcomm, the new system allows manufacturers to improve "multi-device experiences" across mice, keyboards, tablets, earbuds, PCs, phones, and tablets. This includes switching earbuds between audio sources, moving files and windows between different devices using drag-and-drop controls, and more. 

"Snapdragon Seamless fundamentally breaks down the barriers between OEMs, devices, and operating systems," commented Dino Bekis, VP of wearables and mixed-signal solutions at Qualcomm. "It's the only cross-device system to truly put the user first." 

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Snapdragon Seamless is incorporated into the new Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 and Snapdragon X Elite platforms, which also made their debut at the summit.

Snapdragon Seamless also will be integrated into Qualcomm's wearable and audio platforms, and, in the future, will extend to the firm's XR, automotive, and Internet of Things (IoT) platforms. 

Starting this year, Qualcomm said, vendors and partners -- including Xiaomi, Honor, Lenovo, Microsoft, and OPPO --will collaborate with the company on use cases for Snapdragon Seamless. 

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