Qualcomm: Use technologies to enable innovation and industrial ecosystem
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." (by Bai Yiqun)
今年中国国际服务贸易交易会期间，在首钢园展区内，一个超密集沉浸式扩展现实（XR）竞技游戏应用试点项目吸引游客前来打卡。这个可以让数十位XR玩家在虚拟空间畅享游戏的项目，正是高通公司技术创新在中国落地的又一成果。
高通公司于1985年创立于美国，致力于推动移动技术创新。今年是高通进入中国市场的第30个年头，正是得益于中国良好的知识产权保护环境，高通得以在中国市场取得长足发展。
“近年来，中国进一步推动高水平对外开放，持续优化营商环境，并将知识产权保护的重要性提到了新的高度，这对鼓励创新和吸引外企在华投资都具有重大意义。”高通公司全球高级副总裁、技术许可业务和政府事务中国区总经理钱堃在接受本报记者采访时表示。
促创新 赋能产业生态
自2019年中国正式进入5G商用时代以来，中国在相关领域发展势头强劲。截至今年8月末，中国5G基站和手机全球市场占有率均超过50%。与此同时，5G在推动经济增长、创新应用和产业升级等方面发挥着日益显著的作用。
“在现有5G技术的基础上，高通持续研发，与众多合作伙伴积极投身于5G Advanced，使5G走进更广泛的行业和应用，并为6G的发展奠定技术基础。”钱堃介绍。今年年初，高通与中国移动、中兴通信等共同在首钢园完成了业界首个5G Advanced多并发大空间XR竞技游戏业务试点。“利用搭载高通解决方案的终端，在近千平方米的大空间内，画面清晰流畅无卡顿，极大扩展了XR场景化应用空间，这将大大推动XR数字娱乐体验的持续升级。”钱堃说。
当前，人工智能（AI）迅速崛起，已成为推动行业变革的核心力量，大量新的应用场景和商业模式应运而生。在这一领域，去年高通推出了首个专为生成式AI打造的移动平台——第三代骁龙8。今年，高通骁龙8至尊版移动平台的推出更加强化了移动终端在终端侧AI的能力，国内多家手机厂商如小米、荣耀等均基于该平台率先推出了其旗舰手机。在人工智能个人电脑（AI PC）方面，高通发布骁龙X系列平台，助力打造AI PC使用新体验。钱堃认为，AI的发展不止于此，高通将持续发挥技术优势，加大研发力度，更好地赋能产业生态。
强保护 续写创新未来
中国知识产权保护力度持续加大，营商环境持续向好，是高通在中国市场不断扩大“朋友圈”的关键所在。
“越来越多的企业开始认识到创新对于提升竞争力的关键作用。”钱堃指出，任何创新活动都伴随着风险，特别是在初期阶段难以预估成果价值的时候。此时，尤其是对于能够带来突破性进展的原创性创新来说，强有力的知识产权保护显得尤为重要。
中国持续加大知识产权保护力度，极大增强了高通扩大在华创新和知识产权投入的信心。钱堃举例介绍，为了更好地在中国市场开展技术研发，高通先后在北京、上海设立了研发中心，在深圳设立了全球首个创新中心。“深圳创新中心拥有全球领先的实验室，可以进行各种各样的手机性能测试和调优，从而助力中国手机品牌走向全球市场。”钱堃说。
“良好的知识产权营商环境令高通备受鼓舞，从而不断加强与中国企业的合作。”钱堃介绍，高通与中国企业合作的业务版图已经从智能手机扩展到物联网、网联汽车等领域；同时，高通持续扩大在华投资和知识产权布局力度，在华发明专利申请量和授权量多年来稳居在华外企前列。
“我们非常高兴地看到，中国政府致力于让知识产权更好地为创新驱动发展保驾护航，这也成为加强知识产权保护的内在动力。”钱堃表示。展望未来，他满怀信心：“我们期待中国能够继续为全球创新者提供一个更加开放包容、充满机遇的舞台。我们也希望高通能与广大中国企业一起，共同利用知识产权促进产业变革，助力创新发展。”（白逸群）
（文章来源：中国知识产权报）
（编辑：晏如 责任编辑：吕可珂 审校：冯飞）
（中国知识产权报独家稿件，未经授权不得转载）
