Qualcomm unveiled the second-generation Snapdragon Sound Platform at the 2026 Snapdragon Summit in Hawaii. This release follows the introduction of the Snapdragon 8 Elite and 8 Super Elite chips. The new platform is designed to integrate high-quality audio, voice technology, on-device intelligence, and connectivity for wearable devices.
The platform incorporates Snapdragon Sound technology, on-device AI, secure cloud connectivity, and low-power Wi-Fi 6E. It features aptX Lossless audio and XPAN technology to extend connectivity range. Additionally, it includes fifth-generation adaptive active noise cancellation and cVc echo and noise suppression for improved voice pickup in noisy environments.
The hardware supports various form factors, including earbuds, headphones, open-ear devices, smart glasses, and camera-equipped headsets. Qualcomm provides reference designs to accelerate the transition from prototypes to commercial products. The platform size has been reduced by up to 30% compared to previous iterations.
Performance metrics show a significant upgrade in on-device AI capabilities. The peak AI computing power has doubled to 128 GOPS, with the ability to perform 256 MAC operations per cycle. Furthermore, the platform achieves a 40% reduction in power consumption compared to the first-generation S7 audio platform.
