During this year's China International Fair for Trade in Services (CIFTIS) at the Shougang Industrial Park in Beijing, an ultra-dense, immersive extended reality (XR) competitive gaming pilot project attracted visitors' attention. This project, which allows dozens of XR players to enjoy games in a virtual space, is yet another example of Qualcomm's technological innovations getting commercialized in China.
Founded in 1985 in the United States, Qualcomm has been at the forefront of mobile technology innovation. This year marks Qualcomm's 30th anniversary in the Chinese market, where it has achieved significant growth thanks to China's strong intellectual property (IP) protection environment.
"China's continued efforts to promote high-level openness, optimize its business environment, and elevate the importance of IP protection have been instrumental in encouraging innovation and attracting foreign investment," said Qian Kun, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Qualcomm Technology Licensing and Government Affairs China, in an interview with CIPN reporters.
Driving innovation and empowering industry ecosystems
Since China entered the 5G commercial era in 2019, its development in related fields has been remarkable. By the end of August this year, China accounted for over 50% of the global market share in 5G base stations and smartphones. 5G technology has played an increasingly significant role in driving economic growth, fostering innovative applications, and upgrading industries.
"Building on the foundation of existing 5G technology, Qualcomm continues its R&D efforts and actively collaborates with partners on 5G Advanced to expand 5G applications across broader industries and lay the groundwork for 6G development," Qian explained. Earlier this year, Qualcomm, in partnership with China Mobile, ZTE and other companies, completed the world's first 5G Advanced large-space XR gaming pilot project at the Shougang Industrial Park. "Using terminals powered by Qualcomm solutions, the nearly 1,000-square-meter gaming space delivered smooth and clear visuals, significantly expanding XR application scenarios and advancing digital entertainment experiences," Qian added.
As artificial intelligence (AI) rises rapidly, bringing transformative changes to industries and spawning new applications and business models, Qualcomm has kept pace. Last year, the company launched its first mobile platform tailored for generative AI, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3. This year, the enhanced Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Mobile further strengthened AI capabilities on mobile devices, enabling Chinese smartphone manufacturers like Xiaomi and Honor to introduce flagship devices powered by this platform. In the AI PC segment, Qualcomm introduced the Snapdragon X series platform to elevate AI-driven PC experiences. Qian emphasized that Qualcomm will continue leveraging its technical expertise and increasing R&D investment to empower industrial ecosystems further.
Strengthening protection for a brighter future of innovation
China's consistent strengthening of IP protection and improvement of its business environment has been a cornerstone of Qualcomm's expanding network of collaborations in the country.
"Innovation is increasingly recognized as key to competitiveness by more enterprises," Qian noted. However, innovation inherently involves risks, particularly in its early stages when the value of outcomes is uncertain. Robust IP protection is especially crucial for groundbreaking innovation, according to Qian.
China's strengthened IP protection has significantly bolstered Qualcomm's confidence in expanding its innovation and IP investments in the country. For example, Qualcomm has established R&D centers in Beijing and Shanghai and its first global innovation center in Shenzhen. "The Shenzhen Innovation Center boasts state-of-the-art labs that facilitate smartphone performance testing and optimization, enabling Chinese brands to expand globally," Qian explained.
"The favorable IP business environment in China has greatly inspired Qualcomm to deepen its cooperation with Chinese enterprises," Qian added. Qualcomm's partnerships with Chinese companies have expanded beyond smartphones to include IoT and connected vehicles. Concurrently, Qualcomm has increased its IP investment and portfolio in China, consistently ranking among the top foreign enterprises in invention patent applications and grants in the country.
"We are delighted to see the Chinese government's commitment to using IP to safeguard innovation-driven development, which has become a driving force for strengthening IP protection," Qian summarized. Looking ahead, he expressed confidence: "We look forward to China continuing to provide a more open, inclusive, and promising platform for global innovators. Qualcomm is eager to work with Chinese enterprises to leverage IP in driving industrial transformation and advancing innovative development."