In a somewhat surprising move, Qualcomm has unveiled their first ever Phone, the Snapdragon Insider Phone, a device to showcase almost the best Qualcomm has to offer. The 6.78-inch device is made by ASUS and seems to be built on top of the ROG Phone 5.
The most surprising aspect of this device is the Snapdragon 888 SOC inside, and not the recently announced Snapdragon 888+. While it’s not actually a huge deal, it’s perhaps not what we would expect from a device intended to showcase Qualcomm’s technology. The phone will be marketed directly to Snapdragon Insiders, Qualcomm’s new community program.
The Insiders phone includes the afore mentioned Snapdragon 888, 16GB of RAM, 512 GB of internal storage, all powered by a 4000mAh battery (200mAh less than the ASUS ROG Phone 5). The 6.78-inch display is a Samsung AMOLED 144Hzz FHD panel with HDR+ certification.
Beyond the Snapdragon SOC, Qualcomm is also showcasing their 5G prowess with support for both sub-6 and mmWave 5G, making it a truly ‘world 5G phone. Camera wise Qualcomm is showcasing their Spectra 580 ISP, paired with Sony 16MP F1.8 main sensor and an ultra wide 12MP f2.2 and finally an 8MP 3 Optical Zoom lens.
Qualcomm is also providing a pair of truly wireless earbuds with the device, featuring Bluetooth 5.2 and including Qualcomm’s ‘Snapdragon Sound’ experience. Claiming to improve latency, sound range and overall audio quality.
Bucking the trend of supplying nothing in the Box the Snapdragon Insiders Phone will include the Premium Earbuds, a Qualcomm Quick charge 5 wall plug, a custom rubber bumper and 2 “Enhanced Braided Cables’, a USC-C To USB-C and a USC-A to USB-C. All of this for a US price of $1,499 which would translate to around $2,263 in Aussie Bucks.
We highly doubt the device will officially make it to our shores, and there is no detail on release dates or availability. If you’re interested in a very highly priced marketing ploy then signup at Snapdragon Insiders to receive updates.
