From DailyTech: Just months after an exec called Apple's 64-bit processor for the iPhone a "marketing gimmick," Qualcomm has decided to join the 64-bit club with a new mobile processor.
According to All Things D, Qualcomm has introduced the new Snapdragon 410 mobile processor. It's entry-level for phones in the $150 or less price range for now, but the company will likely offer high-end versions later.
The Snapdragon 410 features support for high-speed LTE networks, improved graphics and is Qualcomm's first 64-bit mobile chip.
Phones using the Snapdragon 410 are expected in the second half of next year.
Introducing a 64-bit mobile processor is kind of a funny step for Qualcomm right now because of statements made by the company's former chief marketing officer.
Back in early October, Anand Chandrasekher, senior vice president and chief marketing officer at Qualcomm, said that Apple's 64-bit processor in the new iPhone 5S didn't offer a big enough reason for consumers to upgrade.
"I know there's a lot of noise because Apple did [64-bit] on their A7," said Chandrasekher. "I think they are doing a marketing gimmick. There's zero benefit a consumer gets from that.
"Predominantly... you need it for memory addressability beyond 4GB. That's it. You don't really need it for performance, and the kinds of applications that 64-bit get used in mostly are large, server-class applications."
Chandrasekher went on to say that 64-bit chips aren't "relevant" in today's smartphones or tablets. Many have even said that the processor in Apple's new iPhone can't be credited entirely for performance boosts in benchmark tests.
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