Qualcomm’s Snapdragon Devices Will Come With Windows RT

Qualcomm Inc., the largest maker of mobile-phone semiconductors, said devices powered by its Snapdragon processors will be available later this year, when Microsoft Corp. (MSFT) releases its Windows RT software.

Snapdragon will run some of the thinnest and lightest computers available, Qualcomm Chief Executive Officer Paul Jacobs said today at a company event in San Diego.

Qualcomm is one of three chip companies partnering with Microsoft to bring devices using ARM Holdings Plc. technology- based processors to market with software designed to make Windows better compete with Apple Inc. (AAPL)’s iPad. Microsoft is enabling ARM-based chips, which dominate mobile phones and are the heart of the iPad, in a computer operating system for the first time.

Nvidia Corp. (NVDA) and Texas Instruments Inc. (TXN) are also working with Microsoft to deliver ARM-based computers and tablets. Intel Corp. and Advanced Micro Devices Inc. (AMD), whose processors have traditionally run Windows computers, are working on a similar Microsoft touch-screen operating system.

Windows 8, for Intel and AMD chips, and Windows RT, for ARM-based chips, is Microsoft’s first computer operating system based around touch.

San Diego-based Qualcomm rose 1.8 percent to $54.89 at 2:38 p.m. in New York trading. The shares had dropped 1.4 percent this year through yesterday.

To contact the reporter on this story: Ian King in San Francisco at ianking@bloomberg.net

To contact the editor responsible for this story: Tom Giles at tgiles5@bloomberg.net