Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. today announced the Snapdragon® Sound Elite Gen 2 Platform, expanding what is possible from audio wearables. The platform combines premium Snapdragon Sound technologies, on-device AI, security-focused cloud-connected intelligence, and integrated micro-power Wi-Fi 6E. The result is a more intuitive, personalized experience that anticipates needs and responds seamlessly, while continuing to deliver the exceptional audio experiences consumers expect from Snapdragon Sound.
Twice the Intelligence. Exceptional Sound.
Snapdragon Sound Elite Gen 2 represents a significant leap forward in on-device AI for audio wearables, delivering up to 2x greater AI capability than its predecessor2 and enabling multiple intelligent experiences to operate simultaneously. Combined with up to 40% lower power consumption3, and up to 30% smaller footprint4, the platform enables OEMs to deliver faster and always-available Personal AI experiences, including on-camera equipped form factors that help gather context on the users’ environment, rather than capturing photos.
Additionally, through direct-to-cloud connectivity enabled by micro-power Wi-Fi 6E, Snapdragon Sound Apps & Agents extends audio wearables beyond hardware by providing access to AI assistants, services, content, and experiences that can continue to evolve over time.
Sound That Understands and Adapts
Snapdragon Sound Elite Gen 2 combines premium Snapdragon Sound technologies with AI-driven features designed to continuously adapt to the listener, their device, and their environment.
- Qualcomm® aptX™ Lossless is designed to deliver rich, immersive audio quality for premium listening experiences.
- Qualcomm® XPAN extends connectivity beyond traditional Bluetooth range, enabling more seamless and designed for uninterrupted audio experiences across devices.
- AI-enhanced audio technologies, including new 5th Generation Qualcomm® ANC, Qualcomm® cVc™ technology, and support for advanced multi-microphone architectures, are designed to improve noise cancellation, speech capture, and voice clarity for clearer conversations and more reliable interactions with AI assistants across a wide range of environments.
- Snapdragon® Audio Sense Solution introduces innovative microphones with algorithms to deliver intelligent audio, helping devices hear voices and the world around them more clearly to enable richer voice capture, clearer communication, and more responsive AI experiences.
Enabling the Next Generation of Intelligent Audio Wearables
Snapdragon Sound Elite Gen 2 supports a wide range of form factors, including earbuds, headphones, open-ear and hybrid audio designs, camera-enabled earbuds, audio glasses, and future multimodal wearables. To further accelerate innovation, Snapdragon Sound Elite Gen 2 reference designs will help OEMs rapidly prototype, validate, and commercialize next-generation Personal AI devices.
At Snapdragon Summit 2026, Cleer offered an early look at a new class of intelligent audio wearables that combine audio, vision and AI based on a Snapdragon Sound Platform. The concept demonstrated how Snapdragon Sound platforms can extend beyond traditional audio wearables and into the world around the user, opening the door to a new generation of intelligent experiences.