Qualcomm, the San Diego-based chip giant, is making a big move in the world of processors. The company has now shifted its flagship smartphone and PC chips to the latest version of Arm Holdings’ technology, known in the industry as Arm v9. This upgrade is designed to improve AI performance, making chips better at handling things like chatbots, image generators, and other advanced applications.
Why This Matters
This step is important for two reasons:
- Boost for Arm – Arm makes money by licensing its technology, and its newest designs (like v9) cost more than older ones. With Qualcomm now using v9, it could mean more revenue for Arm.
- Competition with Rivals – Qualcomm’s biggest rivals, MediaTek and Apple, already use Arm’s v9 technology. By joining them, Qualcomm ensures its chips stay competitive in performance and features.
A Tricky Relationship with Arm
Qualcomm’s decision is also surprising because of its recent history with Arm. The two companies had a legal battle last year, with Arm even threatening to cancel one of Qualcomm’s key licenses. Although the conflict hasn’t completely ended, Qualcomm’s choice to use Arm’s newest technology shows that both companies still need each other.
As Jay Goldberg, a semiconductor analyst, explained: “That’s very positive for Arm. These are companies that were fighting each other. Qualcomm could have gone a very different path here.”
What Arm v9 Brings
The Arm v9 architecture is the ninth generation of Arm’s chip design and comes with improvements that:
- Help processors run AI and machine learning tasks more smoothly
- Improve efficiency for modern apps and games
- Keep chips future-ready for next-generation mobile and PC technology
Unlike some competitors, Qualcomm doesn’t buy full chip designs directly from Arm. Instead, it licenses the architecture and then builds much of the chip in-house with its own design team. This means Qualcomm can choose which instructions and features make sense for its customers.
The Bigger Picture
While RISC-V, a free and open-source chip technology, is emerging as a competitor to Arm, it is still much less mature and lacks the same developer ecosystem. For now, Arm remains the dominant standard, and Qualcomm’s move reinforces that position.
Qualcomm’s shift to Arm v9 signals a clear focus on AI-ready chips and shows that, despite past conflicts, it sees value in Arm’s technology. For Arm, this is a positive development that could increase its revenue and strengthen its role in powering the next wave of smartphones, PCs, and AI devices.
