Qualcomm Unveils Snapdragon Sound Elite Gen 2 Audio Platform With Double the On-Device AI

Qualcomm (QCOM) announced the launch of its Snapdragon Sound Elite Gen 2 platform on September 24, 2026, doubling on-device AI capabilities versus the prior generation for audio wearables. The platform integrates on-device AI, cloud-connected intelligence, and micro-power Wi-Fi 6E, enabling features such as real-time translation, context-aware assistance, and multimodal interaction. Qualcomm said its research shows 70% of users want advanced AI in wearables. The chipset reduces power consumption by up to 40% and chip area by up to 30%, according to the company. It supports earbuds, headsets, open and hybrid audio designs, camera-equipped earbuds, and audio glasses. Reference designs will be offered to OEMs to accelerate prototyping and commercialization.