Android phones just got surprise prospective upgrade from MediaTek

I've long been writing about the best Android phones – and in recent years the market has become more interesting as companies scrabble with shortages and production pipelines to deliver upon the latest and greatest components.

While Qualcomm has a strong handle in providing for many makers – Snapdragon 8 Elite, in particular – we've increasingly seen other options. From Google's own Tensor chip, to Samsung's Exynos offering, and MediaTek's Dimensity portfolio – the market is diversifying.

And MediaTek really isn't slowing down. The Taiwanese-based semiconductor business – which also provides chips for many of the best high-end TVs – has just delivered a surprise "plus" version of its flagship Dimensity 9400 chip, with a focus on more power and more AI.

I also see it as a doubling down of authority, though, as MediaTek's alternative offerings have increasingly found their way into Western markets. It's top-notch kit being why – hence Samsung, for example, delivering the Samsung Tab S10 Ultra with Dimensity hardware (albeit gen-old 9300+).

There's plenty more, too, from Oppo's Find X8 Pro – which also made it to market on European shores – sporting the Dimensity 9400 inside. I used that phone for some weeks and was impressed by what it could offer.

The Dimensity 9400+'s design is altogether similar to the non-plus 9400: it's got eight cores – one Cortex-X925, three X4, four A720 – with the biggest core now overclocked (to 3.73GHz). There are firmware tweaks, better satellite signal and Bluetooth line of sight performance too.

Now, I suspect there'll likely be "plus" devices incoming with this new hardware. It's not clear what, just yet, though – so I'll be keeping an eye out for what's coming down the track. We're mid-cycle through the usual calendar year for chip-making, too, so I wouldn't be surprised if the call-and-reply of MediaTek's key competition aren't far behind...