Qualcomm has announced a new mobile processor that will greatly improve the performance of new mid-range Android handsets coming out in the second half of 2018.

The Qualcomm Snapdragon 710 mobile platform is based on 10nm process technology and features a multi-core AI engine - popular with advanced processors these days. Qualcomm claims that its overall performance with AI functionality, such as with camera and voice applications, is twice that of the commonly used Snapdragon 660.

That means it can handle contextual photo sharing and processing, plus understand voice and speech patterns as well as premium smartphones do today.

Camera capture is also improved. And display technology will be enhanced in the mid-range, with the 710 capable of up to 4K HDR playback for video and apps.

The latest Snapdragon SoC also offers a category 15 LTE modem for faster and more efficient wireless internet connectivity. Battery use is more efficient too, with up to a 40 per cent reduction in power consumption when playing games or watching 4K HDR video.

You also get up to a 20 per cent reduction in power consumption when streaming video over the internet too.

The Qualcomm Snapdragon 710 processor will be adopted in mid-range Android smartphones soon.