Qualcomm

Qualcomm Incorporated is an American multinational semiconductor and telecommunications equipment company based in San Diego, California. It designs, develops, manufactures, and licenses wireless telecommunications technology and semiconductor products. The company is best known for its Snapdragon family of System-on-Chip (SoC) products used in many smartphones, as well as baseband modems and Adreno graphics processors. Qualcomm also licenses a broad portfolio of wireless patents, a major source of its revenue.

Qualcomm's operations are organized into two main segments: semiconductor products and licensing. The semiconductor segment develops chipsets for mobile devices, automotive applications, and Internet of Things devices. The licensing segment earns royalties from patents covering 3G, 4G, and 5G technologies and related standards.

Founded in 1985 by Irwin M. Jacobs and several colleagues, Qualcomm began as a developer of CDMA technology and grew into a leading supplier of mobile processors and wireless standards. It has expanded through acquisitions, including Atheros (2011) for wireless networking, CSR (2015) for Bluetooth and audio technologies, and NXP Semiconductors (completed 2018) for automotive and security applications.

In recent years, Qualcomm has continued to advance 5G technology, producing modems and platforms that integrate 5G connectivity into mobile devices as well as automotive and IoT products. The company maintains a global customer base among device makers, network operators, and equipment manufacturers.

Qualcomm's licensing practices have drawn regulatory scrutiny in multiple jurisdictions, and the company has faced antitrust and patent royalty disputes. Leadership includes CEO Cristiano Amon, who has held the position since 2021.