Qualcomm has launched the Snapdragon Sound Elite Gen 2 Platform, a new hardware platform designed to bring more advanced processing, dedicated connectivity, and context-aware AI capabilities to next-generation audio wearables.
On-Device AI and Hardware Efficiency
The new platform delivers up to twice the on-device AI performance of the previous generation, allowing several AI workloads to run simultaneously. At its core is an embedded neural processing unit (eNPU) capable of delivering up to 128 GOPS of AI acceleration, working alongside Qualcomm's Kymera multi-core audio architecture.
Qualcomm has also redesigned the platform to reduce power consumption by up to 40% while cutting its overall footprint by 30% compared with the previous generation. The architecture combines an Arm Cortex-M55 applications processor, an Arm Cortex-M55 main DSP, two Hi-Fi 5 audio DSPs, and a dedicated Hi-Fi 3 low-latency DSP.
These improvements are intended to support faster and continuously available personal AI experiences. The platform can also be used in camera-equipped wearable devices that analyse surrounding environments and context without necessarily being designed for media capture.
Connectivity and Cloud Integration
Snapdragon Sound Elite Gen 2 incorporates micro-power Wi-Fi 6E, supporting the 2.4GHz, 5GHz, and 6GHz bands with a PHY rate of up to 86 Mbps. This enables compatible wearables to establish a direct cloud connection without relying on a smartphone as an intermediary.
The independent connectivity layer also enables integration with the Snapdragon Sound Apps & Agents ecosystem, allowing users to interact directly with cloud-based AI assistants, translation services, and productivity applications. Wireless connectivity is further supported by Bluetooth Classic, Bluetooth Low Energy (LE) Audio, and Qualcomm Expanded Personal Area Network (XPAN), which extends audio streaming beyond conventional Bluetooth range.
Snapdragon Sound Elite Gen 2 Features
Audio Processing and Acoustic Capabilities
The platform includes several technologies designed specifically to improve wireless audio and voice experiences:
- Qualcomm aptX Lossless: Enables bit-for-bit, high-fidelity wireless music streaming.
- 5th Generation Qualcomm Adaptive ANC: Combines AI-driven audio curation with real-time environmental awareness to dynamically adjust active noise cancellation.
- Qualcomm cVc Technology: Works with multi-microphone arrays to separate voices from surrounding noise during calls and interactions with virtual assistants.
- Snapdragon Audio Sense Solution: Uses microphone-based algorithms to improve voice pickup and environmental hearing, helping wearable devices respond more effectively to AI interactions.
Supported Form Factors and Ecosystem
Qualcomm is targeting the Snapdragon Sound Elite Gen 2 Platform for a broad range of wearable audio products, including wireless earbuds, high-end headphones, open-ear devices, audio glasses, hearing devices, and multimodal wearables.
To help manufacturers accelerate product development, Qualcomm is also providing reference designs intended for faster prototyping and validation. During the platform announcement, audio company Cleer presented an early concept integrating audio, vision, and AI processing, highlighting potential applications for emerging multimodal wearable devices.
