Qualcomm unveils second-generation Snapdragon Audio Platform with doubled on-device AI performance
On September 24, Qualcomm unveiled the second-generation Snapdragon Audio Platform at the 2026 Snapdragon Summit in Hawaii. It is Qualcomm's first audio platform to combine premium audio, voice technology, on-device intelligence, and connectivity, supporting new agent experiences for audio wearables.
The platform integrates Snapdragon Sound, on-device AI, secure cloud-connected intelligence, and ultra-low-power Wi-Fi 6E. It is designed to sense and respond to user needs while preserving high-quality audio. On the audio side, it supports aptX Lossless and XPAN, which extends the range of traditional Bluetooth connections, and includes a fifth-generation adaptive active noise cancellation and cVc echo/noise reduction technology to improve call reliability and AI voice interaction in noisy environments.
The platform supports multiple product categories, including earbuds, over-ear headphones, open-ear audio devices, audio glasses, and headphones with cameras. Qualcomm says it will offer reference designs to help manufacturers move from prototype to commercial deployment more quickly.
Compared with the previous-generation Snapdragon S7 Audio Platform, peak AI compute has doubled to 128 GOPS with 256 MAC operations per cycle, while power consumption is reduced by up to 40 percent and platform size by up to 30 percent. The new platform can also run multiple intelligent experiences simultaneously.
