Qualcomm has introduced the Snapdragon Sound Elite Gen 2, a new audio chip designed to enable wireless earbuds and audio glasses to stream high-quality lossless audio directly over Wi-Fi. The technology aims to eliminate the connectivity issues often experienced when a phone is placed far away, such as on a nightstand or under couch cushions.
This latest release marks the first time the company has integrated “micro-power Wi-Fi 6E” directly into the silicon, allowing devices to connect straight to home networks and access cloud services. The move addresses long-standing demands for stable, high-fidelity audio streams that do not rely solely on traditional Bluetooth range.
The announcement follows a similar promise made by Qualcomm in 2023 with the S7 Pro sound platform and its Expanded Personal Area Network (XPAN) technology. At that time, the company stated that Wi-Fi-enabled earbuds could achieve capabilities beyond what Bluetooth alone offers. The Elite Gen 2 represents a renewed effort to turn that earlier conceptual promise into a functional product reality.
Wi-Fi in earbuds is clever for stability, but battery life will be the real question. I hope they cracked that code too.
Does this mean I can finally listen to Spotify HiFi without my phone in my pocket? Range anxiety is real with Bluetooth.
I recall the S7 Pro promises from 2023 that never really materialized. Let’s see if this one actually ships in consumer products.
Finally, lossless audio without Bluetooth compression artifacts! This is the upgrade my earbuds have been begging for.