Hardware
Innovative chips boost
mid-range smartphones
Smartphone makers can now offer devices with near-flagship levels of features at a more compelling price, writes RAMI OSMAN, MediaTek MEA director for business development.
The mid-range smartphone market is booming as end-users look for devices that strike an optimal balance between affordability, performance and features. The good news is that the rapid pace of innovation in chipsets is enabling smartphone manufacturers to come to market with attractive devices at a price that mainstream consumers can afford.
The mid-range market has emerged as a major engine of growth for smartphone manufacturers as cash-strapped consumers look to make their budgets stretch a little bit further.
Platforms such as MediaTek’s Dimensity 8250 enable smartphone makers to come to market with devices that offer near- flagship levels of performance and features at a more compelling price point than premium models and brands. These offerings resonate against the backdrop of a cost-of-living crisis.
Evidence for this shift in the market can be seen in the latest smartphone shipment data. According to IDC, global smartphone shipments increased 7.8% year over year to 289-million units in the first quarter of 2024. Emerging brands feature heavily among the top five, taking on the established premium brands with more affordable offerings.
The speed at which technology innovations and high-end features cascade from flagship devices to mid-range smartphones has increased over the past few years. We have seen a number of new challenger brands come to the fore with products targeted at a discerning customer unwilling or unable to pay the price for a top-tier smartphone.
By delivering advanced connectivity features, battery efficiency, high-quality displays, and cost efficiency, new-generation chipsets like the MediaTek Dimensity 8250 are bringing high-end capabilities to a broader audience. These days, choosing a mid-range smartphone doesn’t mean opting for an inferior product.
Among the features which are now becoming increasingly standard in mid-range smartphones are:
Advanced connectivity features: Faster download and upload speeds, lower latency, and reliable connectivity have become a must for today’s demanding mid-range mobile users. Mid-range devices need to provide support for 5G and tri-band Wi-Fi 6E in order to be futureproof.
Slick app and gaming performance: Today’s chipsets enable users to enjoy faster app launches, smoother multitasking, and enhanced gaming experiences with crisp performance and smooth frame rates.
On-device artificial intelligence (AI): AI powers a range of next-generation multimedia, gaming, camera, and social video experiences in a modern smartphone. Leading platforms will boast an APU to maximise efficiency of dedicated AI tasks and fusion processing, to provide new experiences, enhanced visuals and upgraded performance.
Battery efficiency: Today’s mid-range chipsets are designed with power efficiency in mind, employing advanced power-saving technologies that optimise battery usage without compromising performance. This means users can enjoy longer usage times and a more seamless experience, even with power-intensive applications and features.
High-quality display: Superfast, pin-sharp displays deliver flagship-class experiences with high refresh rate screens and enhanced image processing capabilities.
Top-notch photography: Users today expect best-in-class hardware with the capacity to capture stunning 320MP photos and best-in-class 4K60 video.
The smartphone market has come a long way in the past three years. One of the standout trends is the growing affordability of features once reserved for flagship devices. By offering a balance of high performance and affordability, chipset manufacturers enable smartphone brands to produce devices that deliver premium features without the premium price tag.
