In a significant push into the future of AI-driven devices, Qualcomm has unveiled its latest Snapdragon Wear Elite chip. The company believes this new launch could reshape the AI wearables segment.
Qualcomm describes the Snapdragon Wear Elite as a “wrist plus” chip. It is designed to work alongside the existing Snapdragon W5 Plus model instead of replacing it. The company expects the chip to attract manufacturers looking to build AI-powered wearables such as pendants, pins, and even display-less smart glasses.
The Snapdragon Wear Elite is built on a 3nm process and comes with an eNPU and Hexagon NPU for AI processing. The eNPU manages low-power AI tasks like keyword spotting and activity recognition. The Hexagon NPU handles heavier workloads.
Qualcomm claims the Hexagon NPU can process 2 billion parameters on-device and deliver up to 10 tokens per second.
Although the chip shares a co-processor architecture with the W5 Plus, Qualcomm has enhanced its power efficiency. This allows more functions to run on the main chip without high power consumption.
For example, GPS tracking now uses 40% less power. The Snapdragon Wear Elite also supports 9V quick charging, enabling devices to reach up to 50% charge in around 10 minutes.
The new chip brings major connectivity upgrades. It supports satellite connectivity, 5G, ultra-wideband (UWB), and Bluetooth 6.0. CPU performance has improved by 5x. The GPU now supports 1080p resolution at 60fps for animations.
Beyond Android and Wear OS, the chip also supports Linux. This is aimed at start-ups developing AI pins or pendants using proprietary software.
The launch signals Qualcomm’s strong focus on AI wearables. While there has not yet been a major breakthrough in pin or pendant devices, a leading component maker is investing in this category.
Google has also shown interest in building an ecosystem of AI hardware, including wearables. Meanwhile, Apple is reportedly considering an AI wearable device.
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