Qualcomm’s New Chip Brings Wi-Fi Support to Wireless Earbuds

A New Generation of Audio Experience

According to the tech publication The Verge, Qualcomm is setting a new standard in the audio device market. The company has introduced the Snapdragon Sound Elite Gen 2, the first chip to feature integrated "micro-power" Wi-Fi 6E support. This technology allows earbuds and smart glasses to connect directly to a home wireless network, rather than relying solely on a smartphone.

Why This Matters

Existing Bluetooth technology often suffers from connection drops if the user moves a few metres away from the source. Qualcomm’s new chip fundamentally changes this dynamic. By utilizing Wi-Fi, the audio stream becomes more stable and lossless, giving users the freedom to leave their phone in another room while listening to music or podcasts anywhere in the house. The chip retrieves data directly from cloud services.

It is worth noting that this is not the company’s first attempt at such a solution. In 2023, Qualcomm introduced the S7 Pro platform and XPAN (Expanded Personal Area Network) technology, which made similar promises. However, the release of the new Snapdragon Sound Elite Gen 2 indicates that the company is actively continuing its efforts to finally overcome the limitations of Bluetooth.

For users who frequently rely on modern wireless audio devices, this development promises more reliable connectivity and higher sound quality at home. Hopefully, devices that fully utilize this technology will appear on the market in the near future, making the daily use of audio equipment significantly more convenient.