US-based chipmaker Qualcomm is reportedly planning to launch the ‘Plus’ edition of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 in May.

It is speculated that Qualcomm’s rumored chip with the SM8475 part number may debut as the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 Plus chipset, reports GizmoChina.

The Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 is built on Samsung’s 4nm process, whereas the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1+ will be based on the Taiwan-based TSMC’s 4nm semiconductor fabrication process.

As per report, the chip maker is also expected to unveil the new Snapdragon 700-series around the same time. The first smartphones powered by the SD8G1+ are expected to debut as early as June 2022.

Qualcomm has dominated the mid-range and premium flagship market with around 50 per cent market share across all price brackets above QAR 1,100.

According to Counterpoint Research, Qualcomm’s share in smartphones priced above QAR 1,820 increased from 41 per cent in 2020 to 55 per cent in 2021 owing to the launch of flagships Snapdragon 888 and 8Gen 1.

“Qualcomm struggled with a tight supply throughout the year for its mid-tier solutions. The shift in focus away from 4G SoCs also didn’t help. However, in the high value QAR 1,100 + segment, Qualcomm continued to dominate with its Snapdragon 7 and 8 series,” the report noted.

MediaTek’s growth, which came from smartphones priced less than QAR 1,100 (wholesale price), was driven by both LTE and 5G SoCs across this price band.