Qualcomm has updated their Snapdragon Wear SoC to include a low-power co-processor:
It's been two and a half years since Qualcomm last released a major new smartwatch chip, and in the time since, Android smartwatches have languished. But in the coming months, they could finally start seeing some meaningful improvements: Qualcomm is releasing a new processor for watches, called the Snapdragon Wear 3100, that's meant to extend battery life, enhance always-on displays, and offer more versatility when it comes to sports devices and fitness sensors.
The new chip's key feature is the addition of a secondary low-power processor, which is supposed to handle most of the work when a smartwatch isn't in use. This co-processor will power a watch's sensors and ambient display, doing so while using up to 20 times less energy than the main processor would, according to Qualcomm.
[...] For this chip generation, that's about all that's changing. Both the Wear 3100 and the Wear 2100, its predecessor, share the same main processor — so there's no reason to expect major speed gains. The co-processor is the main improvement, and that means almost all of the enhancements enabled by Qualcomm's new chip come from what the co-processor can do.
See also: Montblanc Summit 2 will be the first Snapdragon Wear 3100 watch
Related: Qualcomm Announces New Mid-Range 632, 439, and 429 Snapdragon SoCs
(Score: 3, Interesting) by richtopia on Thursday September 13 2018, @02:58PM
I suspect you are roughly correct with the 99% of watches with the Qualcomm processor. For those who are interested, I looked at 7 watches/fitness trackers randomly on Banggood. The most expensive was ~60USD, but most are under 30. Three watches make no claim on their processor, but none of the four I did find were Qualcomm:
https://www.dialog-semiconductor.com/products/connectivity/bluetooth-low-energy/smartbond-da14580 [dialog-semiconductor.com]
http://www.telink-semi.com/archives/applications/8266 [telink-semi.com]
https://www.notebookcheck.net/Mediatek-MT6737-SoC-Benchmarks-and-Specs.178416.0.html [notebookcheck.net]
https://www.nordicsemi.com/eng/Products/Bluetooth-low-energy/nRF52832 [nordicsemi.com]
I suspect Qualcomm is targeting the high end of the smart watch market, and therefore is underrepresented in my research. Disclaimer: I am biased as I strive to carry as little valuables on my person, and I don't understand the demand for high-end smart watches.