Qualcomm reveals Elite Gen 2 chip with integrated Wi-Fi
Qualcomm introduces Snapdragon Sound Elite Gen 2 with built-in Wi-Fi 6E, offering smaller size and lower power for lossless wireless earbuds.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
- Qualcomm launches Snapdragon Sound Elite Gen 2 chip with built-in Wi-Fi 6E.
- Removes the need for a separate Wi-Fi chip, making the design 30 percent smaller.
- Delivers up to 40 percent lower power consumption and double the AI processing power.
- Partnering with major brands including HP, Bose, and Cleer for upcoming products.
The dream of using wireless earbuds or audio glasses capable of streaming high-quality lossless audio without cutting out when leaving your phone on a bedside charger or buried in a couch cushion might finally be moving closer to reality, as Qualcomm announces its latest breakthrough audio silicon.
The company’s new Snapdragon Sound Elite Gen 2 is its very first chip to integrate micro-power Wi-Fi 6E directly onto the silicon itself. This design allows wearable audio devices to connect straight to a home Wi-Fi network and access the cloud directly, bypassing the traditional reliance on a smartphone relay.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
If that value proposition sounds familiar, it is likely because Qualcomm made a similar pitch back in 2023 with its S7 Pro sound platform and Expanded Personal Area Network technology, arguing back then that Wi-Fi earbuds could achieve what standard Bluetooth bandwidth limitations could not, specifically 24-bit 96kHz lossless audio streams.
However, that older 7-series platform demanded a separate Wi-Fi chip to function, which apparently proved to be an unappealing formula for manufacturers building extremely compact hardware. In fact, only one commercial adoption ever surfaced publicly, which was Xiaomi’s 2025 Buds 5 Pro that never received a global rollout.
Now that Wi-Fi integration no longer demands an extra dedicated component, the concept stands a much stronger chance of widespread industry adoption. Qualcomm states that the new Elite chip is 30 percent smaller, consumes up to 40 percent less power, and doubles the AI processing capabilities compared to the previous generation hardware.
Integrating Wi-Fi circuitry directly into an audio SoC marks a major engineering milestone for wearable technology. True wireless earbuds operate within extremely tight physical space constraints, and eliminating discrete secondary chips frees up precious volume for batteries and sensors. Furthermore, leveraging Wi-Fi 6E helps bypass the notorious bandwidth bottlenecks and latency issues that have constrained Bluetooth audio for years.
Regarding commercial availability, Qualcomm has confirmed it is currently working with HP on an unannounced product, collaborating closely with Bose, and pioneering a brand-new category of intelligent hearables featuring built-in cameras alongside hardware partner Cleer.
Source: The Verge
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