Qualcomm Backs Off 'Marketing Gimmick' Comments About the A7's 64-Bit Benefits

Qualcomm SnapdragonLast week, Qualcomm chief marketing officer Anand Chandrasekher called Apple's new 64-bit A7 processor a "marketing gimmick" and claimed the processor had very few consumer-driven features.

Today, Qualcomm is backing away from those comments, according to Macworld. A company spokesperson issued this statement to the magazine:

"The comments made by Anand Chandrasekher, Qualcomm CMO, about 64-bit computing were inaccurate," said a Qualcomm spokesperson in an email. "The mobile hardware and software ecosystem is already moving in the direction of 64-bit; and, the evolution to 64-bit brings desktop class capabilities and user experiences to mobile, as well as enabling mobile processors and software to run new classes of computing devices."

64-bit processing marks a major advance for mobile CPU-makers and will be extremely important for Qualcomm going forward, as the firm has announced that it too is working on such chips. Given the flurry of attention regarding Chandrasekher's comments and Qualcomm's own ambitions in the area, it makes sense for the company to try to walk back the "marketing gimmick" remarks.

Popular Stories

maxresdefault

Apple Shows Off a Key Reason to Upgrade to the iPhone 17

Saturday February 7, 2026 9:26 am PST by
Apple today shared an ad that shows how the upgraded Center Stage front camera on the latest iPhones improves the process of taking a group selfie. "Watch how the new front facing camera on iPhone 17 Pro takes group selfies that automatically expand and rotate as more people come into frame," says Apple. While the ad is focused on the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max, the regular iPhone...
apple wallet drivers license feature iPhone 15 pro

Apple Says These 7 U.S. States Plan to Offer iPhone Driver's Licenses

Monday February 9, 2026 6:24 am PST by
In select U.S. states, residents can add their driver's license or state ID to the Apple Wallet app on the iPhone and Apple Watch, and then use it to display proof of identity or age at select airports and businesses, and in select apps. The feature is currently available in 13 U.S. states and Puerto Rico, and it is expected to launch in at least seven more in the future. To set up the...
m5 macbook pro deal

Why You Shouldn't Buy the Next MacBook Pro

Tuesday February 10, 2026 4:27 pm PST by
Apple is planning to launch new MacBook Pro models as soon as early March, but if you can, this is one generation you should skip because there's something much better in the works. We're waiting on 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models with M5 Pro and M5 Max chips, with few changes other than the processor upgrade. There won't be any tweaks to the design or the display, but later this...
iOS 26

Apple Releases iOS 26.3 and iPadOS 26.3

Wednesday February 11, 2026 10:07 am PST by
Apple today released iOS 26.3 and iPadOS 26.3, the latest updates to the iOS 26 and iPadOS 26 operating systems that came out in September. The new software comes almost two months after Apple released iOS 26.2 and iPadOS 26.2. The new software can be downloaded on eligible iPhones and iPads over-the-air by going to Settings > General > Software Update. According to Apple's release notes, ...
Apple Logo Zoomed

Apple Expected to Launch These 10+ Products Over the Coming Months

Tuesday February 10, 2026 6:33 am PST by
It has been a slow start to 2026 for Apple product launches, with only a new AirTag and a special Apple Watch band released so far. We are still waiting for MacBook Pro models with M5 Pro and M5 Max chips, the iPhone 17e, a lower-cost MacBook with an iPhone chip, long-rumored updates to the Apple TV and HomePod mini, and much more. Apple is expected to release/update the following products...

Top Rated Comments

161 months ago
Anand: 64bit is a gimmick.
QC: we are producing 64bit chips.
Anand: Well its not really a gimmick you see....what I meant was .....
Score: 51 Votes (Like | Disagree)
sk1wbw Avatar
161 months ago
Open mouth, insert foot, close mouth.
Score: 47 Votes (Like | Disagree)
hondo77 Avatar
161 months ago
Typical

Marketing person comments on something technical and is totally wrong. Nothing to see here.
Score: 34 Votes (Like | Disagree)
dannyyankou Avatar
161 months ago
Anand: 64bit is a gimmick.
QC: we are producing 64bit chips.
Anand: Well its not really a gimmick you see....what I meant was .....
... we didn't release it first
Score: 24 Votes (Like | Disagree)
chrmjenkins Avatar
161 months ago
So I guess all the people defending him in the thread take it back?
Score: 23 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Four oF NINE Avatar
161 months ago
It's good to see a responsible retraction of earlier uninformed and irresponsible comments.
Score: 21 Votes (Like | Disagree)