Realme is now distributing review units for its inaugural Snapdragon 8 Elite flagship device, the Realme GT 7 Pro. This latest System on Chip (SoC) is Qualcomm’s first high-end mobile product featuring its proprietary Oryon cores, though its current title came as a surprise to many.
Surprise Name Change
After the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 from last year, this new 3 nm flagship SoC was initially expected to be called the Snapdragon 8 Gen 4. Realme also anticipated this naming convention, and the review unit of the GT 7 Pro that Android Authority obtained does not feature "Snapdragon 8 Elite" on the packaging at all.
Android Authority reached out for clarification, and a representative from Realme explained that Qualcomm failed to inform them about the name change ahead of designing the GT 7 Pro’s packaging. The representative mentioned that they only received confirmation about the Snapdragon 8 Elite name a few days prior to the Snapdragon Summit. Interestingly, a well-known Weibo tipster, Digital Chat Station, had hinted at the name change in early October. However, it seems Qualcomm might not have been entirely certain about the new name until it was nearly time for the launch event.
Timing Issues
Due to the last-minute update regarding the name change, Realme was unable to reprint the boxes meant for reviewers before the official unveiling. Nevertheless, a company representative assured that the reference to Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 was taken out of the retail boxes that were mass-produced.
It’s important to note that not every smartphone manufacturer may have faced the same issues with this sudden name alteration, as Realme possibly prepared its review unit packaging earlier than others. The company also indicated that the GT 7 Pro will be the first Snapdragon 8 Elite flagship phone available broadly, with plans for a release in India and Europe shortly after its launch in China.
