Qualcomm unveiled the Snapdragon Wear Elite platform at MWC 2026, bringing AI-powered features and significant performance improvements to next-generation wearables. The new chipset features a five-core CPU with one 2.1GHz core and four 1.95GHz cores, delivering up to 5x better performance and 7x faster graphics compared to previous generations. Samsung has already confirmed the next Galaxy Watch will use this chip, with Google and Motorola also partnering on devices.

A key innovation is the first smartwatch chip with a dedicated NPU capable of handling AI models up to two billion parameters. This enables on-device processing for automatic speech recognition, object and face detection, and text generation. The chipset includes a camera reference design for multimodal interaction, allowing features like real-time face detection to steer microphone beams for better audio isolation in noisy environments. Qualcomm envisions Wear Elite powering various form factors beyond smartwatches, including pendants, glasses, and pins that work together as an AI-powered device ecosystem.

The Wear Elite platform also delivers up to 30% better battery life through its sensing hub and switch to a 3nm process node. The sensing hub acts as a low-power chip within the chip, handling AI tasks without waking the main processors. Consumers can expect Snapdragon Wear Elite wearables with these on-device AI capabilities to launch in the second half of 2026, marking a significant shift toward more intelligent and versatile wearable devices.