Technologies

Qualcomm’s Next Top-Tier Android Chip Adds Ray Tracing, Wi-Fi 7 Connectivity

The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 packs better AI and more true-to-life graphics for next year’s flagship Android phones.

Next year’s top-of-the-line Android phones will feature smarter AI, offer better power efficiency, bake in ray tracing and connect to next-gen home Wi-Fi, thanks to the new premium chipset that Qualcomm revealed Tuesday at its annual Snapdragon Summit.

The new Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset is faster and more efficient than its predecessors, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 and 8 Gen 1 Plus. Qualcomm’s top-tier chips power the priciest Android phones that compete with Apple’s iPhones. The first phones sporting the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 are expected to launch by the end of 2022.

Phones using the new silicon will come from brands like OnePlus, Asus, Vivo and Oppo, though Qualcomm hasn’t revealed specific models yet.

Pointedly missing from this list is Samsung, which typically includes the latest premium Snapdragon chipset in its flagship S-series handsets that launch early each year. We’d expect the upcoming Samsung Galaxy S23 to include the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, but there’s always a chance — however slim — that Samsung will buck tradition and go with a different chipset.

In addition to better performance, phones with the new chipset will offer improved AI that can, for example, more accurately spotlight you against your blurred Zoom background. Qualcomm also promises more vibrant photos as the AI breaks down the image even before you click the shutter button, analyzing layers and treating them separately for more true-to-life color. Phones are also expected to get more reliable 5G service as the chipset’s AI upgrades find better connections with signal towers, integrating the AI improvements in the Snapdragon X70 modem introduced at MWC 2022 back in February.

The always-on front-facing camera from last year has been rebranded as an «always-sensing camera,» which will constantly check for objects it’s taught to recognize. Manufacturers can set their phones to stop showing notifications if the front-facing camera recognizes someone else leaning over to look at your screen, while the rear camera can look for and process QR codes, even when the phone is off. Cameras aren’t storing this footage, Chris Patrick, Qualcomm senior vice president of engineering, told CNET. They’re just looking for visual patterns much like voice assistants listen for trigger phrases but don’t record audio, he said.

«The always-sensing camera is looking for some image that meets some criteria, and then says ‘I found that’ and then you will make a decision what you want to do next,» Patrick said. Phones with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 won’t have this feature by default because manufacturers will be the ones to decide what they want to do with the always-sensing functionality.

Like MediaTek’s newly revealed Dimensity 9200 chipset, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 supports Wi-Fi 7, the next generation of wireless connectivity that builds on the extra spectrum capabilities introduced in Wi-Fi 6E hardware. While no routers or devices have yet launched that use Wi-Fi 7, Qualcomm expects it will achieve around 5.8Gbps of download speed and support sub-2ms of latency.

The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2’s Adreno GPU has gotten tweaks for 25% better power savings, but gamers will be most interested in the real-time hardware-accelerated ray tracing. The latest gaming-focused tech advancement, ray tracing simulates real-world lighting effects to show more true-to-life reflections and shadows. Rather than get the same effect via software, integrating ray tracing at the hardware level brings Qualcomm’s mobile chipset more in line with console and PC graphics.

Technologies

AI Toys Can Pose Safety Concerns for Children, New Study Suggests Caution

When one child told the toy, «I love you,» it responded, «As a friendly reminder, please ensure interactions adhere to the guidelines provided.»

A new study from the University of Cambridge found that AI-enabled toys for young children can misinterpret emotional cues and are ineffective at supporting critical developmental play. The conclusions could be concerning for parents.

In one report examining how AI affects children in their early years, a chatbot-enabled toy struggled to recognize social cues during playtime. Researchers found that the toy did not effectively identify children’s emotions, raising alarm about how kids might interact with it.

The report recommends regulating AI toys for kids and requiring clear labeling of their capabilities and privacy policies. It also advises parents to keep these devices in shared spaces where kids can be monitored while playing.

The research behind the study had a limited number of participants, but was done in multiple parts: an online survey of 39 participants with kids in their earlier years, a focus group with nine participants who work with young children and an in-person workshop with 19 leaders and representatives from charities that work with early-years kids. That was followed by monitored playtime with 14 children and 11 parents or guardians with Gabbo, a chatbot-enabled toy from Curio Interactive.

Some findings indicated that the AI toy supported learning, particularly in language and communication skills. But the toy also misunderstood kids and sometimes responded inappropriately to emotional requests.

For instance, when one child told the toy, «I love you,» it responded, «As a friendly reminder, please ensure interactions adhere to the guidelines provided. Let me know how you would like to proceed,» according to the research.

Jenny Gibson, a professor of neurodiversity and developmental psychology at the Faculty of Education at Cambridge, who worked on the study, said that while parents may be excited about the educational benefits of new technology aimed at children, there are plenty of concerns.

Gibson posed overarching questions about the reason behind the tech.

«What would motivate [tech investors] to do the right thing by children … to put children ahead of profits? she said»

Gibson told CNET that while researchers are exploring the potential benefits of AI-based toys, risks remain.

«I would advise parents to take that seriously at this stage,» she said.

What’s next for AI toys

As more playthings are enabled with internet connectivity and AI features, these devices could become a major safety risk for children, especially if they replace real human connections or if interactions are not closely monitored.

Meanwhile, younger people are increasingly adopting chatbots such as ChatGPT, despite red flags. Multiple lawsuits against AI companies allege that AI companions or assistants can impact young people’s psychological safety, including some chatbots that have encouraged self-harm or negative self-image.

AI companies such as OpenAI and Google have responded by adding guardrails and restrictions for AI chatbots.

(Disclosure: Ziff Davis, CNET’s parent company, in 2025 filed a lawsuit against OpenAI, alleging it infringed Ziff Davis copyrights in training and operating its AI systems.)

Gibson said she was surprised by the enthusiasm some parents showed for AI toys. She was also alarmed by the lack of research on AI’s effects on young children, noting that companies making such products should work directly with children, parents, and child development experts.

«What’s missing in the process is that expertise of what is good for children in these kinds of interactions,» she said.

Curio Interactive, the company behind the Gabbo toy, was aware of the research as it was happening but was not directly involved, Gibson said. The toy was chosen because it’s directly marketed to young kids, and the company had an understandable privacy policy. Gibson said the company seemed supportive of the project.

A representative for Curio did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Technologies

Two Lost ‘Doctor Who’ Episodes Found Intact in Waterlogged Collection

The 1960s episodes featuring the first Doctor William Hartnell will air in the UK in April.

Whovians, rejoice. The BBC is about to unlock a piece of Doctor Who history that even the TARDIS might have forgotten. Two lost episodes of Doctor Who, the iconic sci-fi series, will broadcast in April, the showrunner for the current season confirmed.

The two 1965 episodes, The Nightmare Begins and Devil’s Planet, were donated to the charitable trust Film Is Fabulous by the estate of an anonymous collector.

«The collector did recognize what he had, but how he acquired them has been lost to time,» Professor Justin Smith Leicester of De Montfort University, who led the recovery effort, told the broadcaster.

The researchers said that while most of the donor’s private collection was destroyed by water damage, the Doctor Who episodes were intact.

Doctor Who showrunner, Russell T Davies, celebrated the news on Instagram and said the episodes would air in the UK in April, though no US air date has been announced yet.

«Lost for 61 years! Best of all, these will be made available for FREE on the BBC iPlayer in April,» Davies wrote.

He expressed gratitude to Film Is Fabulous for finding the lost episodes and encouraged people to donate to the registered charity. «Maybe they’ll find more! As the Doctor says… ‘Daleks!'»

The episodes feature the first incarnation of the Doctor, played by William Hartnell, and a typical Dalek plot to take over Earth and the galaxy.

In the 1960s and 1970s, the BBC had a policy of destroying film or reusing videotapes, leading to dozens of episodes of Doctor Who and other popular UK shows like Dad’s Army and Top of the Pops going missing.

Old Doctor Who episodes do surface occasionally, and in 2016, the newly discovered soundtrack for one storyline was turned into an animated series called The Power of the Daleks.

Meanwhile, Disney ended its working relationship with the BBC last year, and star Ncuti Gatwa left the show. However, the UK broadcaster says that Doctor Who will continue, and Russell T Davies is working on a new Christmas special.

Technologies

Today’s Wordle Hints, Answer and Help for March 14, #1729

Here are hints and the answer for today’s Wordle for March 14, No. 1,729.

Looking for the most recent Wordle answer? Click here for today’s Wordle hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Mini Crossword, Connections, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands puzzles.

Today’s Wordle puzzle is a common word, but there’s at least one tricky letter you may not guess right away. If you need a new starter word, check out our list of which letters show up the most in English words. If you need hints and the answer, read on.