Qualcomm introduces specialised AI-based wearable device chip

Jakarta — Qualcomm has introduced the latest processor in its Elite line, the Snapdragon Wear Elite, designed for smartwatches and other artificial intelligence (AI)-based wearable devices.

The chip is claimed to offer CPU single-thread performance improvements of up to five times compared to its predecessor. The Snapdragon Wear Elite is built using 3-nanometre fabrication to increase speed and power efficiency. The processor features five cores, comprising one main core operating at 2.1GHz and four power-efficient cores at 1.9GHz. Qualcomm also promises GPU performance improvements of up to seven times faster.

The chip is equipped with a new neural processing unit (NPU) to support low-power AI applications such as keyword recognition and noise suppression. The Snapdragon Wear Elite is the first Snapdragon wearable processor to feature a dedicated Hexagon NPU with support for AI models of up to two billion parameters.

According to Qualcomm, these capabilities create opportunities for delivering personal AI experiences, including context-based recommendations, natural voice interactions, activity tracking, and AI agents that can coordinate tasks for users.

Devices based on Wear OS using this chip are claimed to achieve battery life improvements of up to 30 per cent and support fast charging up to 50 per cent in ten minutes.

The Snapdragon Wear Elite also supports various connectivity options, such as 5G reduced capability, ultra-low-power Wi-Fi, NB-NTN for satellite, Bluetooth 6.0, GNSS, and UWB. However, device manufacturers can select chip variants without certain wireless features as required.

Qualcomm states that the first devices using this chip will begin shipping within the coming months. Several global technology companies are reported to be adopting the Snapdragon Wear Elite chip, including Google, Motorola, and Samsung.