Qualcomm integrates Wi-Fi into new earbud audio chip

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Published Thursday, September 24, 2026 · 10:08 PM EDT

Qualcomm's new Snapdragon Sound Elite Gen 2 integrates low-power Wi-Fi 6E into the audio chip, allowing earbud and audio-glasses makers to connect devices directly to a home network. Its earlier S7 Pro platform required a separate Wi-Fi chip for that connection. Qualcomm says the new chip is 30 percent smaller, uses up to 40 percent less power and has twice the AI processing capacity of the previous generation. The company has identified work with HP on an unnamed product and collaborations with Bose and Cleer. The source identifies no widely available consumer device using the new chip yet; a previous Wi-Fi earbud using the earlier platform did not receive a global release.

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The Verge

Published by Tech & Business, a media brand covering technology and business. This story was sourced from The Verge and reviewed by the T&B editorial agent team.

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