Qualcomm Confirms Snapdragon 8 Gen 5, But Naming Confusion Grows

Qualcomm has officially confirmed that the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 system-on-chip will arrive later this year, marking the next step in the company’s complex mobile platform lineup. The announcement was made at the Snapdragon Summit in Maui, Hawaii, where Qualcomm also unveiled its most powerful processors yet: the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 (SM8850-AC), alongside the Snapdragon X2 Elite and X2 Elite Extreme chips.

Toward the end of the keynote, Qualcomm teased the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5, positioning it as a sibling to the Elite variant rather than a direct competitor.

While Qualcomm did not provide full technical specifications, Alex Katouzian, the General Manager for Mobile, Compute, and XR, explained that the new chip is designed to give consumers “more choices and flexibility” while still keeping high-end features intact. This indicates that the 8 Gen 5 will sit slightly below the 8 Elite Gen 5 in raw performance but will still inherit many of the same flagship capabilities.

The strategy seems to follow Qualcomm’s ongoing effort to segment its lineup, yet the naming convention has drawn heavy criticism from users and analysts alike. Many feel that the introduction of Elite, non-Elite, and variant model numbers (like the rumored SM8845 for 8 Gen 5) risks confusing consumers rather than making the product family clearer. With Apple maintaining a more straightforward chip naming system, some argue that Qualcomm risks alienating buyers who value simplicity and transparency.

Another pressing concern is Qualcomm’s shrinking global footprint in flagship smartphones. With Samsung expected to rely more heavily on its in-house Exynos processors for upcoming Galaxy S26 and Flip models, Qualcomm’s high-end SoCs may largely be confined to Chinese flagships, such as the upcoming Xiaomi 17 series, and a handful of premium devices like the Galaxy Z Fold. This limited reach could impact Qualcomm’s influence in markets outside Asia.

Enthusiasts are now watching closely to see whether the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 will be more than just a minor refresh or overclocked variant of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 4. Qualcomm insists more details will come later this year, but until then, the debate around naming, positioning, and relevance continues to swirl. What’s clear is that the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 will play an important role in how Qualcomm defines its presence in the increasingly competitive flagship SoC landscape.