MediaTek introduces its first soc with mmWave-5G

Processor designer MediaTek has presented its first soc that has a modem with support for 5G on mmWave frequencies. Until now, socs from the market leader in mobile socs only supported 5G on frequencies below 6GHz.

The first soc with support for mmWave-5G is the Dimensity 1050, says MediaTek† The manufacturer places it under the Dimensity 9000. The new soc has, among other things, the older Cortex A78 and A55 cores from Arm on board, instead of the newer X2, A710 and A510 cores on the v9 architecture. The soc also does not support Lpddr5x memory and the GPU is a lot less powerful.

It is unknown why MediaTek only put support for mmWave-5G in a lower soc. The technology does not yet work in many countries. The US and South Korea have 5G networks with mmWave support. The American provider demanded for a while that smartphones on its network have mmWave support, but seems to have dropped that requirement: the latest iPhone SE does not have that. The MediaTek soc should appear in smartphones for the first time in the summer.

In addition to the 1050, MediaTek has announced two more new socs. The Dimensity 930 also supports 5G, but without mmWave. Many details about that soc are not yet known. There will also be a soc without 5G: the Helio G99. Both socs should be in smartphones in the next month.