Qualcomm announces new S7 and S7 Pro Gen 1 sound platforms for audio devices

As part of today's Qualcomm Summit 2023, the company announced two new audio processors. The Qualcomm S7 and S7 Pro sound platforms are designed to offer high end audio for earbuds, headphones and speakers.

The new audio chips will support Qualcomm's fourth generation Adaptive Active Noise Cancellation technology. The company stated:

For the user, this means our strongest ever ANC performance, offering even more responsive ANC in places like a busy office or café. The ANC also automatically and dynamically adapts to provide strong ANC performance based on different variables including variations in fit, whether the earbud becomes loose in the ear as you move, or whether the noise suddenly changes in your environment.

The new audio processors will also have a dedicated Micro NPU engine for high end AI features. Qualcomm stated:

For example, by using on-device AI learning, the ANC can transition virtually seamlessly and
intelligently between ANC modes based on immediate environment.

In addition, the Qualcomm S7 Pro audio platform is the first to add the company's micro-power Wi-Fi hardware, along with its Expanded Personal Area Network (XPAN) technology, Earbuds or headphones with the hardware will be able to stay connected and stream audio while you are in another room or even on another floor on your home wireless network.

With Snapdragon Sound and Qualcomm XPAN Technology, the Qualcomm S7 Pro Platform brings high bit-rate audiophile music streaming, delivered over Wi-Fi at power consumption levels suitable even for earbuds, so you can listen at ultra-low power and hear every detail of your music in stunning lossless quality (from 92 kHz scaling up to 192 kHz).

Audio devices with the Qualcomm S7 and S7 Pro sound platforms will also be able to get a superior audio experience when paired with devices that use the company's newly revealed Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 mobile processor and the Snapdragon X Elite PC processor. There's no word on when the first audio devices will have Qualcomm's new sound hardware tech.

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