# Episode 41: B2B The Story of Qualcomm

- Show: [The Circuit](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-circuit)
- Published: 2023-11-06
- Length: 32m
- Episode: 43
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-circuit/2023-11-06-episode-41-b2b-the-story-of-qualcomm
- Listen: https://share.transistor.fm/s/087c6438

## Summary

Jay Goldberg traces Qualcomm's evolution from a San Diego-based consulting firm to a dominant wireless infrastructure and chip company, highlighting its unique family-run culture and focus on digital communications over pure compute. He details the strategic pivot from truck tracking to evangelizing CDMA standards, the company's aggressive royalty licensing model, and how its modem technology allowed it to subsume other phone components, forcing competitors like Texas Instruments and Motorola to exit the market. Goldberg also discusses Qualcomm's acquisition strategy, the rise of MediaTek as a low-cost alternative, and the company's current challenges in finding growth beyond the mature mobile market.

## Chapters

- [0:06](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-circuit/2023-11-06-episode-41-b2b-the-story-of-qualcomm#t=6) Qualcomm's Unique Culture and Origins

## Topics

- [Chips, FPGAs & semiconductors](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/chips-and-fpgas)
- [Wireless & RF](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/wireless-and-rf)
- [Growth, exits & acquisitions](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/growth-exits-and-acquisitions)
- [Pricing, margins & unit economics](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/pricing-and-unit-economics)

## Most relevant to

companies scaling up

## Mentioned

- Qualcomm (company)
- Linkabit (company)
- OmniTrax (product)
- CDMA (other)
- Texas Instruments (company)
- Motorola (company)
- MediaTek (company)
- Snapdragon (product)
- Atheros (company)
- NXP (company)
- Ericsson (company)
- Samsung (company)
- LG (company)
- Panasonic (company)
- Sony (company)
- Intel (company)
- Broadcom (company)
- TDK (company)
- Epcos (company)
- Flarion (company)
- Arriver (company)
- Cambridge Silicon Radio (company)
- Unisoc (company)
- Spreadtrum (company)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [Apple & Qualcomm Fight Over Talent | Nokia Bets All on 5G](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ee-times-current/2019-02-09-apple-qualcomm-fight-over-talent-nokia-bets-all-on-5g) (EE Times Current)
- [5G & Jetpacks | UWB Rises from the Dead | Bob Swan Profile](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ee-times-current/2019-08-09-5g-jetpacks-uwb-rises-from-the-dead-bob-swan-profile) (EE Times Current)
- [That Sounds Reasonable | The Company Eating the World](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ee-times-current/2021-03-05-that-sounds-reasonable-the-company-eating-the-world) (EE Times Current)
- [Smartphones, China, Gaming, AR — and a Snapdragon to Rule Them All](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ee-times-current/2019-12-13-smartphones-china-gaming-ar-and-a-snapdragon-to-rule-them-all) (EE Times Current)
- [CEO Interview: Tyson Tuttle of Silicon Labs | You’ve Heard of Singing Cowboys? Well…](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ee-times-current/2021-04-30-ceo-interview-tyson-tuttle-of-silicon-labs-youve-heard-of-singing-cowboys-well) (EE Times Current)

## Citing this page

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