Most notably, the 700 range will include the 800's AI Engine and Spectra image processing. If you're using an AI-savvy device or thrive on mobile photography, you could have the same experience as someone toting the latest flagship phone. Qualcomm is also promising recent (if expected) additions like Bluetooth 5.0 and Quick Charge 4.0 support, as well as new variants on its Kryo CPU cores and Adreno graphics. You can expect as much as a 30 percent power-efficiency boost over a Snapdragon 660, Qualcomm said, in addition to unspecified speed advantages.

It's likely to take several months before you find the new Snapdragon in shipping hardware. Samples don't reach Qualcomm's clients until sometime in the first half of 2018, and it'll take longer than that for manufacturers to build chips into finished products. When the 700 series does arrive, though, it should spark a shift in the Android phone market. You may see more in-between devices that outperform typical midrange smartphones, but don't carry the stratospheric prices associated with the latest flagships.

Catch up on the latest news from MWC 2018 right here.