As it gears up to announce its fourth quarter results next week, Qualcomm has reason to be more confident than it has been for some time. Its share price has risen steadily this month, topping $60 – not high by the standards of a firm which has sometimes hit $100, but a big improvement on a depressed September in which it came close to multiyear lows. The confidence comes partly from the ongoing restructuring, which is seeing the firm adjusting to changing market conditions – notably the increased competition from MediaTek and China, at a time of slowing smartphone growth – with staff reductions and divestments. There is still speculation that Qualcomm might break itself in half, splitting off the…