Qualcomm's recently-introduced Snapdragon 710 mobile chip, manufactured using Samsung's 10nm LPP process technology, will be rivaling MediaTek's Helio P60 series chip built using TSMC's 12nm process technology in the mid- and high-end smartphone market segment.

Qualcomm indicated its new Snapdragon 710 features a multi-core AI Engine and neural network processing capabilities. Shipments of the AI-capable mobile chips have kicked off in the second quarter.

The new Qualcomm Snapdragon 710 SoC is designed specifically for the China market, where the chip will be rivaling MediaTek's counterpart product - the Helio P60, according to industry observers.

MediaTek's Helio P60 SoC, which is also AI-capable, has attracted orders from a number of China-based smartphone vendors including Oppo and Vivo, the company claimed when introducing the latest series of its AI-capable chips.

MediaTek recently launched the Helio P22 SoC, which is also built using TSMC's 12nm FinFET process and designed for mid-range smartphones that come with AI features. MediaTek in a blog disclosed Vivo's Y83 is one of the first smartphones available with its new Helio P22.

AI chips are going to play a main part in MediaTek's mobile SoC portfolio for 2018, TL Lee, head of MediaTek's wireless communication product business unit, was quoted in previous reports.