Qualcomm has launched the Snapdragon Sound Elite Gen 2, a new platform designed to bring more on-device AI capabilities to the next generation of audio wearables. It is aimed at earbuds, headphones, audio glasses, open-ear devices and even camera-equipped earbuds.
The biggest change is the jump in AI performance. Qualcomm says Snapdragon Sound Elite Gen 2 offers up to twice the AI capability of the previous Snapdragon S7 Gen 1 Sound Platform. It is designed to run multiple AI experiences at the same time while using up to 40% less power. The new platform also has a footprint that is up to 30% smaller, which could help manufacturers build smaller AI-powered audio devices.
Qualcomm expects AI to become a more important part of how people use earbuds and headphones. Instead of using a phone screen for every interaction, users could talk directly to an AI assistant through their wearable. The company is targeting features such as real-time translation, contextual assistance and personalized hearing.
The platform also supports multimodal AI, which combines audio, vision and AI. This is particularly relevant for camera-equipped earbuds and other wearables that can use information from the user’s surroundings to provide more contextual responses. Qualcomm says these devices can gather information about the environment without necessarily capturing photos.
Another major addition is integrated micro-power Wi-Fi 6E. Qualcomm says the faster wireless connection can help audio wearables maintain access to cloud-based AI services while limiting the impact on battery life and audio quality.
The company is also introducing Snapdragon Sound Apps & Agents, which allows compatible wearables to connect directly to AI assistants, services, content and other cloud-based experiences. This means manufacturers can add new AI-powered features and services without relying entirely on the hardware itself.
Despite the focus on AI, Qualcomm is still positioning Snapdragon Sound Elite Gen 2 as an audio platform first. It supports aptX Lossless for high-quality wireless audio and XPAN, Qualcomm’s wireless audio technology that uses Wi-Fi and Bluetooth to extend connectivity beyond the usual Bluetooth range.
The platform also brings new AI-powered audio features designed to adapt to the listener and their surroundings. It includes 5th Generation Qualcomm ANC for noise cancellation and Qualcomm cVc technology for voice processing. Support for advanced multi-microphone configurations is also designed to improve speech capture and voice clarity during calls and AI interactions.
Qualcomm’s new Snapdragon Audio Sense Solution combines microphones with software algorithms to help devices detect voices and sounds around the user more clearly. This could be useful for both regular conversations and AI features that need to understand the user’s environment.
Snapdragon Sound Elite Gen 2 supports a wide range of form factors, including traditional earbuds and headphones, open-ear and hybrid designs, audio glasses and camera-equipped earbuds. Qualcomm is also providing reference designs to help manufacturers develop and bring new Personal AI wearables to market.
At Snapdragon Summit 2026, Cleer showed an early concept based on the Snapdragon Sound platform. The device combines audio, vision and AI to demonstrate how future wearables could understand more about the user’s surroundings and respond using natural voice interactions.
Qualcomm has not announced specific consumer products using Snapdragon Sound Elite Gen 2 yet, but the platform gives manufacturers the hardware, connectivity and AI capabilities needed to build the next generation of intelligent audio wearables.
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