You may never get a Snapdragon 8 Elite 2 because Qualcomm can’t make a decision about its chips

Qualcomm is expected to release its next flagship chipset in late September, though it may not call it Snapdragon 8 Elite 2. Even if that’s the Snapdragon 8 Elite successor, the new processor may see Qualcomm returning to its previous naming scheme.

The new chip could launch as Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, according to information shared(source in Chinese) by Digital Chat Station on Weibo. The name is still not set in stone, but returning to the Gen branding makes sense in Qualcomm’s current portfolio.

While “Gen 5” might sound confusing at first, it’s a continuation of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 name. The Snapdragon 8 Elite was the successor of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, so it was essentially the “Gen 4” chip, even if it didn’t bear the name.

Another aspect of Qualcomm’s naming scheme is the company’s plan to release another almost-flagship chipset, which may be called Snapdragon 8 Gen 5. It is unclear if that will be the successor of the Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 or a completely new chip. However, it’ll be positioned below the top-tier chipset, but above last year’s Snapdragon 8 Elite.

To call Qualcomm’s naming scheme chaotic would be an understatement. The names for the company’s best chips moved from Snapdragon 865 to Snapdragon 888 and Snapdragon 8 Gen 1. Then just three years later, we got the Snapdragon 8 Elite, and that branding appears to be doomed as well.

Meanwhile, the chips Apple makes have very predictable names. The chips inside the iPhone 16 were the A18 and A18 Pro, and the iPhone 17 will most likely have A19 and A19 Pro chips.

Whatever names Qualcomm has for its chips, we’ll hear them first at the next Snapdragon Summit. Scheduled for September 23-25, the event will serve as the premiere for the company’s latest processors, and the first devices using them are expected in October.

I know that even thinking about the chip inside a smartphone is not something many people do, but Qualcomm can still do better. Their naming is confusing even for me, and I am really interested in the topic. I’ve already lost hope that we could get names that make sense without too much thinking, but I beg for at least a little consistency.

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