The Snapdragon 845's ISP (image signal processor), the Spectra 280, can now capture 4K, 60fps video in an "HDR" 10-bit color depth. Slow motion video is up to 480fps at 720p. For photos, the ISP can capture 16MP images at 60 frames per second (does it still count as a "photo" at that point?), and there's out-of-the-box support for depth sensing.
The 845 also includes a new secure processing unit (SPU) that can handle encryption, payments, and biometric authentication in an isolated subsystem away from all your potentially nasty application code.
For connectivity, the cellular modem is now a Qualcomm X20 LTE modem, with a theoretical max download speed of 1,200Mbps, provided your carrier supports this ridiculous level of connectivity. The Wi-Fi now supports the
60GHz 802.11ad standard, which isn't a replacement for the usual 802.11ac connection but is instead an ultra-fast, short-range, "wire replacement" technology. It only has a useful range of a few feet (theoretically 30 feet), but the 4.6 Gbps max speed makes a great way to send a ton of data to something without plugging in (assuming you can find something else that supports 802.11ad). There are "proprietary enhancements" to Bluetooth 5, which Qualcomm says will "reduce battery consumption of wireless earbuds by up to 50 percent."
"Artificial Intelligence" is another big focus, with Qualcomm using the Hexagon 685 DSP as an AI and imaging co-processor. The Hexagon 685 is three times faster than the Hexagon 682 in the Snapdragon 835 and will support Android 8.1 Oreo's new
Neural Networks API.
