Qualcomm has announced the Snapdragon Sound Elite Gen 2 chipset, purpose-built to combine “combine premium audio and voice technologies with the on-device intelligence and connectivity required for agent-powered experiences.” The chipmaker expects the chipset to find its way into “camera-enabled earbuds, audio glasses, and future multimodal wearables.”
Snapdragon Sound Elite Gen 2 Chipset
Compared to its predecessor, the Snapdragon S7 Gen 1, the new platform delivers up to 2x greater AI compute capability, up to 40% lower power consumption, and a chip footprint that is up to 30% smaller. Qualcomm says the new chipset allows “multiple intelligent experiences to operate simultaneously,” a step forward from previous-generation hardware that typically handled AI tasks in sequence.
Direct-to-cloud connectivity via micro-power Wi-Fi 6E also enables what Qualcomm calls Snapdragon Sound Apps and Agents, which “extends audio wearables beyond hardware by providing access to AI assistants, services, content, and experiences that can continue to evolve over time.” In other words, wearables can operate over the internet on its own, and a potential use case is likely connecting to larger AI models online instead of relying on the host device.
On the audio side, Snapdragon Sound Elite Gen 2 includes aptX Lossless for high-fidelity wireless playback, Qualcomm XPAN for extended Bluetooth-range connectivity, and a 5th Generation Qualcomm ANC system. The platform also supports advanced multi-microphone architectures alongside Qualcomm cVc voice clarity technology, along with Snapdragon Audio Sense Solution to help devices more clearly hear voices and ambient sounds, enabling better voice capture for both communication and AI assistant interaction.
Qualcomm is also providing Snapdragon Sound Elite Gen 2 reference designs to help device makers accelerate prototyping, validation, and commercialization of next-generation devices.
Pokdepinion: Wearables with cameras are a privacy nightmare, and it seems like we’re still welcoming them with open arms anyway.
