A robot powered by Qualcomm Technologies’ Dragonwing processor took center stage at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES), signaling a major push by the company into the internet of things (IoT) market. qualcomm Technologies is now aiming to serve a broader range of customers, from large corporations to individual developers, with its core edge computing adn artificial intelligence (AI) technology across various industrial and embedded sectors.
Expanding the IoT Ecosystem with Dragonwing
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Qualcomm is streamlining IoT advancement with new processors,software,and acquisitions.
- Qualcomm Technologies launched the Dragonwing range in February 2025, focusing on industrial and embedded IoT solutions.
- The company has expanded its portfolio thru acquisitions of Augentix, Arduino, Edge Impulse, Focus.AI, and Foundries.io.
- New Dragonwing processors, like the Q-8750 and Q-7790, offer notable AI processing power and enhanced features for diverse applications.
- Qualcomm is unifying its software architecture to support Linux, Windows, and Android, simplifying deployment.
- The company aims to lower barriers to entry and accelerate innovation through a robust developer ecosystem.
Powerful New Processors for Edge computing
The Dragonwing Q-8750, the latest addition to the series, is engineered for high-performance edge computing and immersive experiences. Its AI engine delivers 77 trillion operations per second (TOPS) with support for INT4/8/16 and FP16 precision, enabling real-time inference and on-device large language models of up to 11 billion parameters. This capability aims to eliminate the need for cloud dependency in critical applications. the processor’s camera architecture supports up to 12 physical cameras and triple 48 MP image signal processors (ISPs), making it suitable for drones, media hubs, and multi-angle vision systems.
The dragonwing Q-7790, designed for both consumer and industrial IoT devices, boasts 24 TOPS of on-device AI performance, enabling advanced inference for applications like smart cameras, AI TVs, and collaboration systems without cloud reliance.It features dual 4K60 display support, 4K60 encoding, and 4K120 video decoding, including AV1 hardware decode, alongside enhanced security features for environments where data integrity is crucial.
A Unified Approach to Edge and AI
At CES, Qualcomm Technologies announced a redefinition of its IE-IoT business, positioning itself as a provider of edge compute and AI solutions across industrial and embedded sectors. This change introduces distinct product lines with competitive roadmaps and a unified software architecture supporting Linux, Windows, and Android, facilitating deployment-ready solutions for multiple industries.
Combined with its partner ecosystem and accessible developer platforms like Arduino, Edge Impulse, and Foundries.io, Qualcomm Technologies aims to lower barriers to entry and accelerate innovation from prototype to commercialization. By integrating Arduino and enhancing developer accessibility through Edge Impulse and Foundries.io, Qualcomm Technologies believes it can empower its developer communities to innovate faster and more securely. The unified ecosystem combines Arduino’s open-source capabilities with Qualcomm technologies’ AI, connectivity, and security technologies, while Edge Impulse and foundries.io provide machine learning and security-focused deployment tools.
“We’re not just introducing new products – we’re launching a comprehensive new approach to help organisations of virtually all sizes,across virtually all verticals,reap the benefits of AI and edge compute in their pursuit for efficiency and new opportunities,” said Nakul Duggal,executive vice-president and group general manager of automotive,industrial and embedded IoT,and robotics at Qualcomm Technologies.
“Our expanded industrial and embedded IoT portfolio, combined with a robust developer ecosystem, positions us as the ultimate platform for building clever, connected business solutions that scale.”
