Upcoming Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 might come in two variants

The Snapdragon 865, according to @rquandt, will come with an external 5G modem. This is in contrast to information confirmed by Qualcomm itself, indicating that there could be two variants of the chipset in the works: one with the 5G modem integrated, and another without.

The Snapdragon 865 is expected to feature in devices in 2020, which is still early for worldwide 5G rollout. Presently, only small regions in the US have 5G up and running while Europe, China, Korea and other key regions are expected to have 5G later this year. That still leaves a lot many markets waiting for 5G, including India.

Having a 5G modem integrated in the chipset will help save space inside the smartphone chassis, which can be used for a bigger battery or a better cooling system. As a result, the Snapdragon 865 with the integrated 5G modem should be the platform of choice for markets that already have 5G. On the other hand, in regions where 5G is not expected to roll out in the next two years like India, OEMs can use the Snapdragon 865 without having the 5G modem integrated, which will bring down cost of production.

Presently, the 5G phones announced rely on the Snapdragon X50 5G modem. It is discretely installed and not integrated. Qualcomm has already confirmed that its successor, the Snapdragon X55 that supports both sub-6 GHz and mmWave bands along with proprietary PowerSave technology, would be integrated in the upcoming flagship processor.