Xiaomi is set to take on Qualcomm with its own 'Surge' SoC

The new chipset is expected to be a follow-up to the Surge S1 from 2017.

What you need to know

• Xiaomi will introduce its second custom mobile chipset next week.
• Surge S1, which was the company's first custom silicon, was announced in 2017.
• Just like its predecessor, the new Surge chipset could be aimed at budget phones.

Back in 2017, Xiaomi introduced the Surge S1, its first custom mobile chipset. The chipset powered the Mi 5C, which was launched as a more affordable version of the company's flagship Mi 5. After nearly four years, Xiaomi has now started teasing a successor to the Surge S1. According to a new teaser posted on Weibo by the company, the next Surge chipset will be introduced at Xiaomi's "Mega Launch" event on March 29.

Unfortunately, Xiaomi hasn't revealed any information about the upcoming chipset just yet. Since the Surge S1 was not a high-end processor, it is possible that its successor has also been designed for affordable phones. Last year, a rumor claimed that Xiaomi was working with MediaTek to develop a custom chipset, but neither of the two companies has confirmed any such plans yet. Interestingly, the rumor surfaced just months after some reports claimed Xiaomi had given up on its custom chip efforts.

Samsung and Huawei are currently the only Android OEMs that make their own custom chipsets. While Samsung uses its in-house developed Exynos chips in Galaxy phones across different price points, Huawei mainly focuses its efforts on flagship processors for its best Android phones. However, Huawei isn't expected to announce a new custom chipset anytime soon, thanks to the U.S. sanctions against it.

Along with the Surge S1 successor, Xiaomi will also unveil its new Mi Mix phone next week. The next Mi Mix is rumored to be a foldable phone, which could be Xiaomi's answer to flagship foldable phones like the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 and the Huawei Mate X2.