Qualcomm CEO Cristiano Amon (pictured) underscored a stabilising market for Android devices and opportunities arising from generative AI application demand during an earnings call in which he also revealed an extension of a deal with Samsung.

On Qualcomm’s investor call for fiscal Q1 2024 (the period ended 24 December 2023), Amon highlighted the company had benefitted from healthy demand for Android devices following what he described as a year of market correction.   

It booked revenue up 5 per cent year-on-year to $9.9 billion with net profit rising 24 per cent to $2.8 billion.

In the smartphone segment, Amon pointed to the AI features included in Samsung’s flagship Galaxy S24 as marking “the beginning of how GenAI will evolve the overall smartphone experience and highlights the significant opportunity for Snapdragon platforms”.

Among the use cases cited for on-device AI were live translation and interpretation, chat assistants and features to improve images.  

Alongside smartphones, he added its chipset business was boosted by the automotive segment, an area the executive has been promoting heavily of late.  

Deals
During the call, Amon announced the signing of a “multi-year” deal with Samsung “relating to Snapdragon platforms for flagship Galaxy smartphone launches starting in 2024”. The length or terms of the deal were not disclosed.

In the company’s licensing business, Amon noted it inked extended or renewed deals with Apple and two un-named vendors from China during the quarter.

He added Qualcomm continues to “to negotiate new agreements or renewals with other key licensees and OEMs, including some whose current agreements are set to expire in early fiscal 2025”.