Qualcomm Sets Its Sights on Edge Computing, IoT and 5G

San Diego-based Qualcomm has come a long way from its humble beginnings as a startup founded by a handful of Cornell University and MIT alumnus and University of California at San Diego professor Irwin Jacobs in 1985. Today the company, which is known for its wireless chipsets, employs about 33,000 workers worldwide and makes more than $22 billion in revenue annually.The company’s chipsets are its primary business — it powers a large majority of the world’s smartphones and tablets. It also has a strong licensing division and a vast portfolio of patents that make up a large part of its revenue stream. Qualcomm made a name for itself by designing the first code division multiple access (CDMA) cellular base station that was derived from U.S. military technology. The company used the technology to transmit digital signals over cell phone equipment. CDMA was later standardized and used by operators around the globe, including U.S. operators Verizon and Sprint. Qualcomm went on to work on several more generations of CDMA before switching to 4G LTE and now 5G.