Qualcomm unveils Snapdragon Wear Elite chip for next-gen AI wearables

Qualcomm is doubling down on the wearable AI trend with the announcement of its new Snapdragon Wear Elite chip, designed to power a new generation of devices beyond traditional smartwatches.

The company describes the Elite as a “wrist plus” chip, meant to exist alongside the existing W5 Plus rather than replace it. 

Qualcomm says the chip is ideal for AI-enabled wearables like pendants, pins, and potentially display-free smart glasses, while more powerful AR glasses will continue to rely on its dedicated AR chip.

Built on an upgraded 3nm process, the Elite features an eNPU for low-power AI tasks such as keyword recognition and activity detection, and a Hexagon NPU for more intensive computations. 

The Hexagon NPU can handle up to two billion parameters on-device and process as many as 10 tokens per second, according to Qualcomm.

Power efficiency has also been improved. GPS tracking now consumes 40% less power, and the chip supports 9V quick charging, offering roughly 50% battery in 10 minutes. 

Qualcomm estimates the Elite provides 30% more “days of use”, meaning longer intervals between charges.

Connectivity options include satellite links, 5G, ultra-wideband, and Bluetooth 6.0. CPU performance is reportedly five times faster, while the GPU supports 1080p animations at 60fps. 

The chip supports Android, Wear OS, and Linux, catering to startups experimenting with novel AI wearable designs.

Though the market for AI pins and pendants hasn’t yet produced a breakout hit, Qualcomm’s investment suggests growing interest. 

Tech giants like Google are already building AI hardware ecosystems, while Apple is rumoured to be exploring AI wearables. OpenAI collaborators, including Jony Ive and Sam Altman, have also hinted at future AI-powered wearable projects.

With the Snapdragon Wear Elite, Qualcomm appears ready to help manufacturers push AI wearables beyond the wrist.