In context: 1 of the large questions that some people accept had virtually integrating cellular connections into PCs is what exactly are those connections going to do? Or, to put it some other way, some accept wondered, what'south the point? There are several important capabilities you tin can proceeds with an always connected PC, but a newly announced deal betwixt Qualcomm and Sophos puts an interesting new twist on those opportunities.

The two companies appear that an Arm-compatible version of the Sophos Intercept X cybersecurity software application will be available on Snapdragon-powered PCs in the 2nd half of 2022.

On one hand, it's easy to call up that while porting over a version of an existing x86-native Windows application to Qualcomm's Arm-powered 8cx and 8cx Gen ii-based PCs is nice to have, it'southward non that big of a deal. But what makes this news more interesting are the technologies existence leveraged to enable this solution and how they provide a small glimpse into the futurity of PC software overall.

First, a bit of context. As an application that's designed to cake cybersecurity threats of all types—malware, ransomware, and other types of exploits—Intercept X, like other similar tools, is highly reliant on regular updates to be most effective. In fact, Sophos describes the product equally offering a 24x7x365 level of coverage, because it's positioned as a fully managed security service. Given that thousands of security exploits are discovered every day, that realistically means there could be multiple updates in a unmarried day, and they might occur at any time of day or night.

The just way to ensure that a PC is available to receive updates at any time is if it'due south always capable of being continued to receive those new add-ons. Sure, while many of us are at home with reasonably reliable Wi-Fi, that might exist relatively like shooting fish in a barrel. However, in situations where the power has gone down, or more importantly, when nosotros start moving around again more than often, only a cellular-connected PC can offer a guaranteed path to connectivity.

Even then, even so, if a PC is in sleep mode, at that place'southward no guarantee the updates will be delivered. That'southward why this version of Intercept X will exist able to use connected standby on Snapdragon-based PCs, which highlights a more than smartphone-like approach that cellular-equipped PC software tin enable. That, by itself, is a big step forward.

Another interesting capability also became prominent on smartphones first, only is starting to become a bigger cistron on PCs too—the extensive employ of AI and AI-specific accelerators. Some of the more than interesting threat detection capabilities of Sophos' Intercept 10 are realized through car learning and other AI techniques, both in the cloud-based service that works behind the scenes to ability their security software, too as on the client device itself.

In the example of Snapdragon equipped PCs, Qualcomm's AI engine will provide acceleration of threat detection efforts of Intercept X. The adept news for PCs overall is that we're also starting to see more AI-powered software tools on x86-based machines powered by both Intel and AMD hardware and software. Equally with always-on connectivity, this highlights some of import large picture trends nosotros're seeing make it on PCs and in PC native software.

Speaking of wireless connections, a critical factor around cellular-equipped PCs is the inherent benefits that an e'er-continued PC offers on just, well, connectivity. Particularly at present that many of the states have become very accustomed to having PCs that are always connected to the spider web, the need to maintain that level of functionality when we start to return to the office, travel, and generally motion effectually more than is going to be essential. Though information technology may exist easy to forget, there are lots of places where Wi-Fi is either not readily bachelor, too slow, or not reliable. As a result, the benefits of cellular connectivity are going to quickly evolve from dainty-to-accept to must-have once things exercise start returning to normal.

The vast majority of Qualcomm-based PCs volition offer the benefit of 4G or 5G connectivity congenital in. Also, Intel is about to enable some of the first PCs with 5G modems thanks to its partnership with MediaTek (see: Intel Makes Surprise Option for 5G PC Modem Partner), x86-based, cellular broadband-enabled notebooks are about to get much more than plentiful besides.

In all cases, this increased connectivity is going to make PCs more than powerful, more useful, and capable of doing things they couldn't before. That seems similar a useful and important footstep forward for the entire PC category.

Bob O'Donnell is the founder and chief analyst of TECHnalysis Inquiry, LLC a technology consulting business firm that provides strategic consulting and marketplace research services to the technology manufacture and professional fiscal community. You tin can follow him on Twitter @bobodtech.