SAN JOSE, Calif., Nov. 21, 2013 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Qualcomm Incorporated (NASDAQ: QCOM) today announced that its subsidiary, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc., is enhancing location precision in smartphones and tablets initially in China with support for China's BeiDou Satellite Navigation System. Supporting the BeiDou constellation within Qualcomm^® IZat^™ location solutions increases the number of satellites that Qualcomm-based devices can access to provide greater position location accuracy. Qualcomm is collaborating with Samsung to launch the first wave of BeiDou enhanced consumer smartphones, demonstrating the commitment of the companies to provide technology that delivers optimum performance for location-based services within China and globally.

Powered by the Qualcomm^® Snapdragon™ 800 processor (MSM8974), the Samsung GALAXY Note^® 3 (WCDMA 3G version SM-N9006 & TD-LTE 4G version SM-N9008V) uses the industry's first, integrated tri-band location platform to provide more accurate and responsive location data to mobile users. It does so by concurrently processing signals from multiple satellite networks. Armed with this capability, users will have more enjoyable experiences using their location-based services, even in the most challenging of environments.

Leveraging Qualcomm IZat location solutions, Samsung will be able to deliver an optimal user experience with quick and accurate location information and services in China. Historically, this has been a challenge in some locations, especially in urban canyons, where devices may suffer from low visibility to satellites blocked by tall buildings that obstruct the signals. Bringing BeiDou-enabled phones to China means the Galaxy Note 3 has access to more satellites, which increases location accuracy. This ultimately improves customers' pedestrian navigation, speeds local searches and enhances other location-based services.

Qualcomm's mobile chipsets feature interoperability with existing constellations, which use tri-band hardware integration to deliver improved location capabilities in an optimal way, with enhanced accuracy, and with no additional increase in power consumption. In Snapdragon and Gobi™ chipsets, global positioning support is built into the modem and RF chips, enabling the location signals to be processed in the modem, instead of waking up the apps processor, thus saving power without sacrificing location accuracy.

"This industry-first implementation of BeiDou in a smartphone underscores Qualcomm's leadership in the location industry. More than 3 billion devices which feature Qualcomm's location technology have shipped to date and the introduction of BeiDou is the latest step to evolve our technology," said Amir Faintuch, president, Qualcomm Atheros. "We see BeiDou's support being an important factor for OEMs in China, and globally as well. With this new location enhancement, we believe our customers can bring greater differentiation with advanced performance, applications and services."

About Qualcomm Incorporated

Qualcomm Incorporated (NASDAQ: QCOM) is the world leader in 3G, 4G and next-generation wireless technologies. Qualcomm Incorporated includes Qualcomm's licensing business, QTL, and the vast majority of its patent portfolio. Qualcomm Technologies, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Qualcomm Incorporated, operates, along with its subsidiaries, substantially all of Qualcomm's engineering, research and development functions, and substantially all of its products and services businesses, including its semiconductor business, QCT. For more than 25 years, Qualcomm ideas and inventions have driven the evolution of digital communications, linking people everywhere more closely to information, entertainment and each other. For more information, visit Qualcomm's website, OnQ blog, Twitter and Facebook pages.

Qualcomm Atheros and Qualcomm IZat are trademarks of Qualcomm Atheros, Inc. Qualcomm is a trademark of Qualcomm Incorporated. All other trademarks are the sole property of their respective owners.

Qualcomm Contacts:
Laurie Falconer, Qualcomm Atheros
Phone: 1-408-652-0632
Email: laurief@qualcomm.com

Tina Asmar, Corporate Communications
Phone: 1-858-845-5959
Email: casmar@qualcomm.com

Warren Kneeshaw, Investor Relations
Phone: 1-858-658-4813
Email: ir@qualcomm.com

SOURCE Qualcomm Incorporated