Qualcomm will release Snapdragon 865 software update in April this year: adding NavIC navigation and positioning support

Last month, Qualcomm released three 4G SoC Snapdragon 720G, Snapdragon 662 and Snapdragon 460 for emerging markets and mid-to-low-end smartphones. One of the common points has attracted attention, that is, it supports the Indian regional satellite navigation system NavIC.

However, Qualcomm’s current most high-end Snapdragon 865 has missed out.

In response, Qualcomm issued a statement stating that this is temporary. Through cooperation with the Indian Space Research Organization, it is expected that the final software update will be pushed to OEMs in April this year, allowing Snapdragon 865 to support NavIC navigation to serve Indian customers.

It is reported that Qualcomm will distribute it to original equipment manufacturers in the form of BSP, and OEM manufacturers can build Android updates based on this to achieve integration. Since the pace of Android iterations of various manufacturers is different, and it involves many links such as testing and verification, there is a high probability that it will not be accomplished overnight.

Data shows that NavIC navigation has covered the entire territory of India and 1,500 kilometers beyond the national border, and can provide real-time positioning and timing services. NavIC currently consists of 7 satellites, using the L5 frequency band (1176.45MHz) and a bandwidth of 24MHz.