Qualcomm launches new chip to power 5G smartphones

FILE PHOTO - A sign on the Qualcomm campus is seen in San Diego, California, U.S. November 6, 2017. REUTERS/Mike Blake/File Photo

Qualcomm Inc introduced its second-generation of so-called modem chips to connect phones to 5G networks, speeding up the race around faster wireless data connections expected to begin rolling out later this year.

Qualcomm, the world's largest mobile chip supplier, is hoping the device will fuel the spread of 5G phones later this year and next year. While Chinese phone makers such as Xiaomi Corp last year used Qualcomm's first-generation chip for small batches of 5G phones, the second-generation chip is aimed at mass production.