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Qualcomm Cancels Snapdragon Dev Kit, Refunds Orders!

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Qualcomm has announced the cancellation of its Snapdragon Dev Kit, a miniature Windows on Arm PC initially slated for release in June. In an email to customers, the company stated that the mini PC “has not met our usual standards of excellence,” leading to a full refund for all pending orders.

Background on the Snapdragon Dev Kit

The Snapdragon Dev Kit had faced shipping delays for months, following an initial plan to launch alongside the first wave of Copilot Plus PCs. Despite its cancellation, Qualcomm did not elaborate on the reasons behind the extensive delay before ultimately deciding to cancel the hardware.

Developer Insights

Some developers, including Jeff Geerling, had received the Snapdragon Dev Kit prior to the announcement. Geerling conducted a teardown and review of the hardware, noting that while it offered performance comparable to Apple’s M3 Pro, it fell short due to a lack of Linux support and restrictions on reselling the device.

Speculations Surrounding Cancellation

Speculation around the cancellation suggests it could be linked to an HDMI port issue. Although the dev kit was intended to include an HDMI port, Geerling discovered that while all components for internal DisplayPort to HDMI conversion were present, the port itself was missing.

Richard Campbell, founder of the DEVIntersection conferences, hinted on a recent TWiT episode that the absence of the HDMI port may have delayed production, possibly due to failure in FCC compliance testing. Last month, Qualcomm notified customers that the device would ship with a USB-C to HDMI dongle instead.

Importance of the Dev Kit

Despite being a niche product, the dev kit was positioned as a critical tool for developers looking to port applications to Windows on Arm. Both Qualcomm and Microsoft have encouraged developers to optimize their apps for Snapdragon X Elite-powered laptops.

Progress in App Development

There has been some progress in this area, with apps like Chrome becoming native to Arm64, and Google planning to launch its Drive app on Windows on Arm later this year. Other applications, including NordVPN and ExpressVPN, also launched recently, and the Arc browser is now Arm64 native.

Broader Implications

While the gradual adoption of Windows on Arm had been viewed as a positive development, the debacle surrounding the dev kit has overshadowed these advancements. The cancellation raises questions about Qualcomm’s strategy moving forward and its ability to support developers effectively.

Upcoming Snapdragon Summit

Qualcomm is set to host a Snapdragon summit later this month, where further details regarding its plans for desktop PCs may be revealed in light of this setback. The company will likely need to address developer concerns and outline alternative solutions for those interested in building applications for its Snapdragon platform.

Conclusion

The cancellation of Qualcomm’s Snapdragon Dev Kit highlights significant challenges in bringing new technology products to market. As developers express disappointment over missed opportunities and unresolved issues, Qualcomm must navigate these hurdles carefully while maintaining momentum in its efforts toward advancing Windows on Arm.

This situation serves as a reminder of the complexities involved in hardware development, especially in rapidly evolving sectors like artificial intelligence and mobile computing. As Qualcomm pivots away from this setback, its future strategies will be crucial in determining its standing within the competitive landscape of tech innovations.

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Entrepreneur Stories

From Digital Wallet to Stock Market: MobiKwik Expands Its Horizons with New Brokerage Venture

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From Digital Wallet to Stock Market: MobiKwik Expands Its Horizons with New Brokerage Venture

MobiKwik is venturing into the stock broking sector with the launch of its subsidiary, MobiKwik Securities Broking Private Limited (MSBPL), following approval from the Ministry of Corporate Affairs on March 3, 2025. This move aims to diversify MobiKwik’s offerings beyond its core digital payments services and compete with established players like Zerodha and Groww.

MSBPL will provide a range of brokerage services, including trading in shares, securities, commodities, and derivatives. The subsidiary has an initial capital of Rs 1 lakh, with plans for an additional Rs 2 crore investment to support its operations.

As MobiKwik enters this competitive market, it brings a substantial user base of 172 million and a merchant network of 5 million. Despite recent financial challenges, including a reported loss of Rs 55.2 crore in Q3 FY25, the company aims to leverage its existing infrastructure and user engagement to capture a share of the growing investment technology market, projected to reach $74 billion by 2030.

This strategic expansion aligns with MobiKwik’s broader goals of enhancing its financial service

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Strategic Shift: Nazara Sells Entire Stake in Sports Unity Amid Financial Challenges

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Strategic Shift: Nazara Sells Entire Stake in Sports Unity Amid Financial Challenges

Nazara Technologies has sold its entire 71.54% stake in Sports Unity Private Limited, the company behind the multiplayer quiz game ‘Qunami’, for INR 7.15 lakh. This divestment, effective March 25, 2025, signifies a strategic shift for Nazara, which had previously acquired a controlling interest in Sports Unity in 2019 for INR 7.5 crore.

The decision to offload the stake comes as Sports Unity has faced financial difficulties, reporting no active business operations and a negative net worth of INR 0.45 crore at the end of FY24. This move aligns with Nazara’s broader strategy to streamline its operations and concentrate on more profitable ventures within the gaming sector.

This sale follows Nazara’s recent divestment of a 94.85% stake in another subsidiary, Open Play, to Moonshine Technologies for INR 104.33 crore. Despite reporting record quarterly revenue of INR 544.7 crore in Q3 FY25, Nazara experienced a 53.5% decline in net profit year-over-year.

Nazara continues to focus on enhancing its portfolio through strategic acquisitions and investments in high-potential gaming platforms while navigating the competitive landscape of the gaming industry.

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Bengaluru’s Hypergro.ai Raises Rs 7 Crore to Enhance AI-Powered Advertising Solutions

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Hypergro.ai, a Bengaluru-based marketing technology startup, has raised Rs 7 crore in seed funding led by Silverneedle Ventures, with participation from Huddle, TDV Partners, HME Ventures, Dholakia Ventures, FiiRE, and angel investors. Founded in 2022 by Rituraj Biswas, Neha Soman, Abhijeet Kumar, and Arijit Mukhopadhyay, the company aims to revolutionize digital marketing by addressing challenges like high Customer Acquisition Costs (CAC) and low Return on Ad Spend (ROAS).

 

The startup leverages AI to create hyper-personalized video ads using user-generated content (UGC). The fresh capital will be used to enhance Hypergro.ai’s AI capabilities, expand operations, and build a specialized team focusing on data analysis, predictive algorithms, and automation.

 

Since its inception, Hypergro.ai has collaborated with over 70 brands, including several from Shark Tank India. The company’s innovative approach has led to its selection for Google’s Startups Accelerator: AI First (India) program in July 2024, providing access to critical training, mentorship, and state-of-the-art AI tools.

 

Hypergro.ai’s platform now supports a community of over 300,000 creators across India and has partnered with more than 100 brands, significantly enhancing its AI model’s accuracy and improving revenue generation for clients. As it continues to expand and refine its AI-powered marketing solutions, Hypergro.ai is set to transform the digital advertising landscape, offering businesses more effective and efficient customer acquisition and engagement strategies.

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