Qualcomm’s New Chip For Wearables Turns Earbuds Into Personal AI Assistants

Qualcomm unveiled Snapdragon Sound Elite Gen 2, a cutting-edge audio platform aimed at equipping earbuds, headphones, and other wearable devices with advanced AI capabilities, at the Snapdragon Summit in Hawaii. This platform amalgamates audio processing, voice technology, on-device intelligence, and connectivity to enable future hearables to function independently without relying on a smartphone for every AI interaction.

Boasting twice the AI performance compared to its predecessor, Snapdragon Sound Elite Gen 2 delivers 128 GOPS (Geometric Operations Per Second) and 256 MAC (Multiply-Accumulate) operations per cycle. In contrast, the previous Snapdragon S7 Gen 1 offered 64 GOPS and 128 MAC operations per cycle. Additionally, Qualcomm claims that the new platform consumes up to 40% less power and occupies up to 30% less space, facilitating the integration of more features into compact devices.

The enhanced AI processing power is envisioned to enable devices to run multiple intelligent features concurrently. Qualcomm foresees this platform supporting features such as real-time translation, contextual assistance, personalized hearing, and multimodal AI interactions, thereby delivering more personalized AI capabilities directly to future audio wearables.

Beyond improved audio and connectivity, Snapdragon Sound Elite Gen 2 facilitates aptX Lossless for high-fidelity wireless audio, XPAN for connectivity beyond traditional Bluetooth range, and fifth-generation adaptive active noise cancellation. It also incorporates Qualcomm's cVc echo and noise suppression technology, as well as multi-microphone support. These advancements aim to enhance noise reduction and voice pickup during calls and AI assistant interactions.

The platform also integrates micro-power Wi-Fi 6E, enabling compatible devices to establish direct connections to AI services. Bluetooth connectivity remains compatible. Qualcomm has tailored this platform for true wireless earbuds, over-ear headphones, open-ear devices, audio glasses, camera-equipped earbuds, and other forthcoming multimodal wearables. To facilitate manufacturers, the company has provided reference designs. Wearables powered by this chipset are anticipated to surface in the market soon.