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Qualcomm

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FY2009 Annual Report · Qualcomm
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Corporate Overview

Where ideas connect

“ Anything you can do on a computer, you will 
soon do on your mobile device. Looking ahead, 
your phone will be like your digital sixth sense. 
It will learn what you like, and as you walk 
down the street, it will display ‘cyber signs’ 
with information and offers based on your 
preferences. Qualcomm is giving you personal 
access to your own digital world.”

Dr. Paul E. Jacobs, 
Chief Executive Officer

See the full interview video at  
www.qualcomm.com/overview

there’s Qualcomm.

Qualcomm’s technology connects 
you wherever you are in the world. 
We manufacture wireless chipsets, 
license technology and provide 
communications services around  
the world. In a global economy,  
we are the link to  
markets and opportunity.

We help bring minds and ideas together.

. 

You are in Xi’an, two hours south of 
I am in Granville, two hours south of Cleveland.
In between us is air and technology. The air does nothing. The 
technology buzzes in my pocket and there you are. A terracotta 
warrior in front of you. Which you’ve photographed and put in  
front of me. And for a moment we are held together across time  
and space. Together between the physical and the virtual world. 
Between here and now. Between idea and execution. Between  
today and tomorrow.

A meeting breaks out in the unlikeliest of places.
Under an elm tree in a park near my little one’s kindergarten. In less than 
30 minutes she will bound through the door of her classroom. And I 
will wave my hands over my head and stand on my tip-toes so she can 
see me. But until then, there are connections to be made. Details to  
be ironed out. For 30 minutes I will be focused and productive. I will  
be supported by technology that allows me to be both the executive  
I am... and the mother I will be—in about 27 minutes. 

These are just two of the many millions 
of stories Qualcomm is part of.

Read about how we are empowering, 
accelerating and transforming the 
future of wireless.

Qualcomm	Corporate	Overview	 3

	
people interacting with technology

Imagine the world, organized around you.
Innovative wireless technologies provide the ultimate in personalization,  
putting you in control of what you want, where you want it. Explore the  
wireless world, one story at a time.

empoweringDream on
When	I	was	little	I	dreamed	I	could	fly.	Today	that	means	boarding	passes 	
and	baggage	fees,	but	I	get	the	same	rush	of	freedom	when	I	travel	in	a 	
world	without	wires.	I	land	and	check	into	my	hotel.	The	sun	is	fading	as		
I	wander	to	a	nearby	park.	Instantly	I	am	online,	reconnecting	with	deadlines	
and	dinner	plans.	The	world	is	my	hotspot.	I	cross	continents	and	time	zones.	
I	am	everywhere,	always	connected	and	so	fast	that	no	one	can	catch	me.

Smartbooks*
Combining	the	simplicity	
and	connectivity	of	
smartphones	with	the	
power	and	usability	of	
laptops,	a	smartbook	is	a	
new	class	of	mobile	device	
that	lets	you	work	and	play	
all	day—wherever	you	are.

Snapdragon™
Qualcomm’s	Snapdragon	
platform	offers	an	unprec-
edented	combination	of	
processing	performance	
and	optimized	power	
consumption	for	the	new	
generation	of	smart		
mobile	devices.	

Internet anywhere
With	Gobi™	global	mobile	
Internet	technology,	the	
world	is	your	hotspot.		
The	embedded	3G	module	
gives	your	notebook	
computer	high-speed	
Internet	access	anywhere	
life	takes	you.

Bright idea
Low	power	and	high	impact,	
Qualcomm’s	reflective	
mirasol	display	technology	
offers	full	color,	video	
capability	and	superior	
visibility	even	in	direct	
sunlight.	In	a	word,	brilliant.

Mobile web usage is growing 34% year-over-year.1

1	The	Nielsen	Company,	October	2009

*	In	the	territory	of	the	Federal	Republic	of	Germany,	the	use	of	the	term	“Smartbook”	in	
connection	with	portable	computers	is	reserved	exclusively	to	Smartbook	AG,	Germany.

Qualcomm	Corporate	Overview	 5

	
Game on
Around	here,	Sunday	is	known	as	sports	day.	I’ve	got	hot	wings,	cold	beer,	
and	a	warm	spot	on	the	couch.	Then	the	boss	calls.	Ten	minutes	later,	I’m		
in	a	cab.	My	suit	is	in	the	trunk,	my	smartbook	is	in	my	backpack,	and	my 	
mobile	TV	is	in	my	hand.	The	traffic	is	a	blur,	but	the	live	action	is	crystal	clear.	
As	we	pull	into	the	airport,	my	team	is	down	by	one.	Then	the	power	forward	
intercepts	the	pass.	He	shoots.	He	scores.	And	it’s	nothing	but	net.	

13.4 million Americans watch video on their mobile phones.1

Tune in 
An	unmatched	mobile	
entertainment	service,		
FLO	TV™	brings	live	
television	from	the		
world’s	best-known	
entertainment	brands	to		
a	screen	near	you.	Like		
the	one	in	your	pocket.	

Growth driver
Chrysler	Group	LLC®	is	the	
first	automaker	to	offer	live	
mobile	TV	through	FLO	TV	
Auto	Entertainment.	The	
dealer-installed	entertain-
ment	package	makes	for		
a	smooth	ride.

New channels
Now	available	at		
Amazon.com®, 	Best	Buy®	
and	RadioShack®, 	the		
FLO	TV	Personal	Television	
is	a	pocket-sized,	dedicated	
mobile	TV	device	that		
puts	fun	and	functionality	
at	your	fingertips.	

6	 Qualcomm	Corporate	Overview

1	Nielsen	Company,	May	2009

empoweringTag, anyone?
The	world	is	a	big	place,	but	I	like	mine	up	close	
and	personal.	So	when	we	get	to	Paris,	my	phone	
is	my	digital	tour	guide.	Today	is	our	first	day,	and		
I	map	our	way	to	the	Eiffel	Tower.	We’re	in	line	for	
tickets	when	I	get	a	virtual	tag	from	my	friend	Uli:	
“Check	out	the	great	cafe	across	the	street.”	We’re	
living	in	the	moment,	so	why	not?	Let	me	tell	you,	
beignets	have	never	tasted	so	good.

Mobile lifestyle
In	a	world	filled	with	mobile	
content,	Xiam®, 	a	Qualcomm	
company,	brings	together	
personal	preferences,	
locations	and	recommenda-
tions	so	you	can	choose	
what’s	right	for	you.	

On location
Today	Qualcomm’s	gpsOne®	
technology	delivers	unparal-
leled	positional	accuracy	that	
already	enables	a	host	of	
applications—from	turn-by-
turn	directions	to	finding	
friends	and	points	of	interest.	

1/2 billion mobile devices featuring  
Qualcomm GPS technology have been shipped 

2		Operator	announcements	and	Wireless	Intelligence	estimates		

as	of	July	20,	2009

worldwide to date.2

Qualcomm	Corporate	Overview	 7

	
Moving at life speed
At	our	house,	I’m	in	charge	of	the	morning	scramble,	bedtime	stories	and	
everything	in	between.	To	simplify	my	life,	I	use	wireless	in	ways	I	never	
imagined.	I	bank	on	my	mobile	phone	at	soccer	practice,	get	real-time	
recommendations	on	where	to	shop	and	even	connect	with	my	doctor.		
It’s	like	having	my	very	own	personal	assistant	in	my	pocket.	Going	wireless	
keeps	everything	in	balance,	so	I	can	focus	on	what	matters	most.	Like 		
whose	turn	it	is	to	carpool.

Retail therapy
With	Plaza	Mobile	Internet™,	
your	mobile	device	becomes	
a	catalog	of	wireless	
widgets.	Get	personalized	
recommendations,	news,	
weather	and	shopping	
applications,	plus	social	
networking,	photo	sharing	
and	video.

Mobile commerce
With	Mobile	Banking	from	
Firethorn	Holdings,	LLC,®		
a	Qualcomm	company,	you	
can	view	accounts,	transfer	
balances	and	pay	bills	all	
from	your	mobile	device.		
If	you	want	to	share	and	
exchange	gift	cards,	receive	
and	redeem	offers	and		
view	loyalty	card	points	or	
balances,	SWAGGSM	from	
Firethorn	lets	you	do	it	all	
while	on	the	go.

Wireless wellness
Wireless	healthcare	
technologies	promise	to	
redefine	modern	medicine.	
Qualcomm	is	working	to	
move	innovations	from		
the	laboratory	to	the	
doctor’s	office	so	we	can	
live	longer,	healthier	lives.	

Mobile apps are a $343 million a year industry.  
By 2013, revenues are expected to increase 
tenfold to $4.2 billion.1 

1		CBS,	Daniel	Sieberg,	November	2009

8  Qualcomm Corporate Overview

empoweringAt Qualcomm, we  
accelerate mobility. 
For nearly 25 years we have been moving the global 
wireless industry forward. Today we are mobilizing 
technologies, experiences and opportunities for everyone 
across the wireless ecosystem.

acceleratingadvancing the industryOur business model
It	has	proven	so	successful	that	today	we	license	to	more	than	190	wireless	
device	manufacturers	around	the	world.

innovative solutions

advanced devices & services

chips &
software

licensing

services
& apps

operators

manufacturers

Partners

web co’s &
e­tailers

media, services
& applications

Qualcomm R&D

“The Internet
 of Everything”

increasing R&D investment

increased revenue

Qualcomm R&D 

Partners

“Internet of Everything” 

Driving	the	entire	industry	
forward.

Making	devices	faster,	
content	richer	and	customer	
relationships	stronger.

A	future	where	wireless	
networks	connect	everything	
in	our	lives.

Our innovation 

As	the	line	between	consumer	electronics,	computers	and	mobile	communi-
cation	devices	disappear,	our	business	model	is	redefining	the	way	people	
incorporate	wireless	devices	and	services	into	everyday	life.	

It	all	starts	with	our	commitment	to	research	and	development,	which	enables	
us	to	build	a	complete	technology	roadmap	for	innovation.	Then	our	open	
licensing	gives	all	companies—big	or	small—an	equal	opportunity	to	shape	
the	future	of	wireless.	

Our	licensing	program	is	the	engine	that	drives	the	entire	industry	forward.	
We	invest,	innovate	and	inspire	growth	for	our	partners—then	start	all	over	
again.	And	while	our	heritage	makes	us	the	world	leader	in	next-generation	
mobile	technologies,	it’s	our	people	who	set	us	apart.	Innovation	is	more		
than	what	we	do—it’s	who	we	are.	

10	 Qualcomm	Corporate	Overview

accelerating	
Our partners 
In	an	increasingly	open	mobile	world,	we	are	
developing	new	capabilities	with	our	partners		
to	give	people	a	uniquely	personal	mobile	
experience.	Our	partnerships	accelerate	growth		
for	everyone—from	operators	and	device	
manufacturers	to	Internet	companies,	e-tailers,		
and	mobile	content	providers.	

Our	best-in-class	chipsets	power	handsets,	
smartbooks,	e-books	and	beyond,	while	our	
engineering	support	services	deliver	total,	
integrated	solutions.	We	enable	opportunities	
across	the	entire	wireless	value	chain,	by	making	
devices	faster,	content	richer	and	customer	
relationships	stronger.

Today,	innovation	continues	to	drive	our	
partnerships.	For	many	operators,	that	means	
growing	a	thriving	data	business	while	taking	
customers	seamlessly	from	2G	to	3G	wireless	
technology	today—and	on	to	4G	in	the	years		
to	come.	As	a	forward-thinking	company,	we		
are	always	looking	ahead—not	just	to	the	next	
quarter,	but	far	down	the	line.

Our future 
Looking	ahead,	we	see	an	era	of	total	connectivity.	
High-speed	wireless	networks	will	connect	
everything	in	your	life—not	just	your	phone	and	your	
laptop,	but	your	car,	your	video	camera	and	many	
items	throughout	your	home.	Machine-to-machine	
communication	will	enable	a	smarter	world.

At	Qualcomm,	we	think	of	it	as	the	Internet	of	
Everything.	Your	mobile	devices	will	act	as	your	
sixth	sense,	suggesting	activities	and	content	
based	on	your	preferences,	schedule	and	location.	
Each	wireless	discovery	will	be	personal	to	you.	

And	we	believe	that’s	only	the	beginning.	In	a	
connected	world,	we	can	take	on	our	most 	
fundamental	problems—to	save	energy,	use		
water	wisely	and	deliver	healthcare	more	
efficiently.	And	we	see	Qualcomm’s	innovations	
embedded	in	the	technology,	every	step	of		
the	way.	

More than 615 commercial 3G operators worldwide rely on technology developed 
by Qualcomm, and that number continues to grow.

Qualcomm	Corporate	Overview	

11

	
impact on the world

Opportunities for everyone. 
For Qualcomm, expanding wireless worldwide is more than a 
business objective—it’s a global imperative. We are transforming 
lives by connecting people for the first time. And that means a 
world where everyone can make a difference.

12	 Qualcomm	Corporate	Overview

transforming3G handset sales in Mainland China  
may reach 50–100 million in 2010 and 
500 million by 2014.1 

Growing together 
Well	beyond	Beijing,	wireless	opportunity	is	calling	
across	China,	the	largest	global	market	for	tele-
communications	and	mobile	broadband.	In	2009,	
the	country’s	three	largest	telecom	operators	
began	the	world’s	biggest	deployment	of	3G	
wireless	networks,	reaching	more	than	300	cities.	

In	rural	China,	mobile	broadband	gives	doctors	
instant	access	to	medical	information.	With	per-
sonal	computers	and	3G	handsets,	they	can	build	
their	medical	knowledge	anytime,	anywhere.	In	
countryside	clinics,	video	conferencing	with	experts	
and	online	training	means	better	care	for	women	
and	children	who	are	at	greater	health	risks.	

Qualcomm	is	working	on	many	fronts	to	provide	
our	Chinese	partners	with	the	world’s	most	
advanced	wireless	technologies.	Now	they	are	
emerging	as	a	new	global	force	in	the	mobile	
industry,	as	they	expand	3G	across	China	and		
grow	their	exports	worldwide.	For	the	wireless	
ecosphere,	the	opportunity	is	as	big	as	China	itself.

1		eepw.com.cn	“In	Mainland	China’s	3G	Era,	Qualcomm	and	Mediatek		
Are	the	First	to	Benefit,”	August	2009

Mobile broadband will surpass fixed 
broadband in Brazil by 2011, reaching  
nearly 27 million data card users  
in 2014 from 1.5 million in 2008.1

High speed, high style
In	Latin	America,	demand	is	pushing	the	large-
scale	migration	from	2G	to	3G	wireless	technology.	
Here	and	around	the	world,	the	cost	of	devices		
is	coming	down	while	performance	and	features	
are	going	up.	Consumers	and	business	users	are	
snapping	up	new	devices	at	one	of	the	highest	
replacement	rates	in	the	industry.

Meanwhile,	carriers	are	leapfrogging	each	other	
with	faster	and	faster	networks.	In	Brazil,	the		
most	populous	country	in	Latin	America,	all	four	
operators	are	transitioning	to	3G.	Surrounded	by		
a	blanket	of	mobile	broadband,	many	people	in	
São	Paolo	may	never	think	about	getting	Internet	
access	any	other	way.

Latin	America	is	where	high	speed	meets	high	
style.	From	mobile	music	to	retail	shopping	
applications,	Qualcomm’s	innovations	are	enabling	
a	faster,	more	personalized	wireless	experience	
across	the	region.	

14	 Qualcomm	Corporate	Overview

1		Pyramid	Research	Report:	Reported	in	Cellular	News,	July	2009

transformingMobilizing change
Africa	is	a	vast	frontier	for	wireless.	Unlike	costly	landline	infrastructure,	
wireless	networks	are	more	practical	for	reaching	even	the	most	remote 	
villages,	linking	them	to	the	outside	world.	And	in	Africa,	perhaps	more	than	
any	other	emerging	market,	wireless	access	is	nothing	short	of	transformative.	

Millions	of	people—most	of	whom	have	never	had	a	bank	account—now	use	
mobile	phones	to	transfer	money,	make	payments	and	withdraw	cash.	Farmers	
use	their	phones	to	track	crop	yields	and	diseases	and	turn	on	water	wells,	
while	political	activists	use	theirs	to	monitor	elections	and	empower	voters.	

Recognizing	the	life-changing	power	of	wireless,	Qualcomm	and	its	partners	
have	teamed	up	to	bring	affordable	technologies,	products	and	services		
to	millions	of	underserved	people	in	Africa.	Because	it’s	not	just	good	for	
business—it’s	good	for	everyone.

The mobile phone industry in Africa has defied the 
global economic crisis with a monumental boom  
in mobile subscriptions between 2003 and 2008. 
In five years the number of subscriptions grew by
more than 500%.2 

2		United	Nations	Report,	October	2009

The Internet, unplugged
Europeans	have	long	had	a	love	affair	with	their	
wireless	phones.	So	it’s	no	surprise	that	3G	growth	
surpassed	2G	in	2009.	With	some	of	the	highest	
mobile	penetration	rates	on	the	planet,	Europe	
remains	a	bellwether	market.	

Europe	has	seen	the	future	of	the	Internet,	and		
it’s	mobile	in	every	way.	According	to	Strategy	
Analytics,	nearly	half	of	mobile	phone	subscribers	
in	Western	Europe	will	access	the	Internet	via	their	
handsets	by	2013.	

In	what’s	been	called	“donglemania,”	high-speed	
mobile	data	is	taking	off	across	the	continent.	
From	mobile	warriors	to	regular	consumers,	
everyone	is	taking	the	Internet	on	the	road. 		
With	better	prices	and	faster	uploads	and	
downloads,	what’s	not	to	love?	It’s	truly	the	
Internet	of	everything,	whenever	you	want	it		
and	wherever	you	happen	to	be.

In Q2 ’09, mobile penetration in 
Eastern Europe rose to 115%. 
Over half of the region’s markets have  
now reached 100% penetration.1

1		Wireless	Intelligence,	October	2009

16  Qualcomm Corporate Overview

transformingMobile broadband subscriptions  
would top 600 million in 2009, with 
fixed broadband subscribers at 
500 million.2

One nation, connected
Around	the	world	and	across	the	United	States,	
mobile	broadband	is	the	fastest	and	most	afford-
able	way	to	bring	high-speed	Internet	access	to	
everyone.	High-speed	3G	wireless	technology		
connects	people	to	markets	and	opportunity	
wherever	they	are.	

Broadband	is	not	a	luxury,	but	a	necessity	in	the	
21st	century	economy.	It	is	the	link	to	good	jobs,	
quality	education	and	better	healthcare.	That’s	
why	U.S.	President	Barack	Obama	wants	to		
expand	broadband	networks—to	underserved		
rural	communities	and	urban	neighborhoods	
where	people	can	least	afford	it,	but	may	need		
it	most.	

Whether	you	are	on	Wall	Street	or	traveling		
across	one	of	America’s	wide-open	spaces,		
mobile	broadband	levels	the	playing	field.		
Because	at	Qualcomm,	our	technologies	are	
empowering	people	everywhere.	

2	International	Telecommunication	Union,	2009

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Qualcomm Headquarters
5775 Morehouse Drive
San Diego, CA 92121
Phone: (858) 587-1121
Fax: (858) 658-2100
www.qualcomm.com

Qualcomm	Incorporated	is	a	leader	in	developing	and	delivering	innovative	digital	wireless	communications	products	
and	services	based	on	CDMA	and	other	advanced	technologies.	Qualcomm	serves	the	global	wireless	industry		
with	breakthrough	technologies	that	enable	the	convergence	of	mobile	communications	and	consumer	electronics,	
making	next-generation	wireless	devices	and	services	more	personal,	affordable	and	accessible	to	people	everywhere.	
Qualcomm	is	included	in	the	S&P	100	Index,	the	S&P	500	Index	and	is	a	2009	FORTUNE	500®	company.

Nothing	in	these	materials	is	an	offer	to	sell	any	of	the	components	or	devices	referenced	herein.	Certain	components	
for	use	in	the	U.S.	are	available	only	through	licensed	suppliers.	Some	components	are	not	available	for	use	in	the	U.S.

This	corporate	overview	is	printed	entirely	on	FSC-certified	recycled	stock.	Savings	derived	from	choosing	post-	
consumer	recycled	fiber	in	lieu	of	virgin	fiber	to	make	the	paper:	227	pounds	solid	waste	was	not	generated	—	the	
equivalent	of	saving	2,053	gallons	of	wastewater	flow,	or	preserving	5	trees	for	the	future.

©2010	Qualcomm	Incorporated.	All	rights	reserved.	Various	products	and	brand	names	may	also	be	trademarks	or	
registered	trademarks	that	are	the	property	of	their	respective	owners.	[2/10]