Qualcomm launches Snapdragon W5+ and W5 wearable SoCs with direct satellite connectivity

Qualcomm today announced the launch of its new Snapdragon W5+ second-generation and W5 second-generation wearable platforms for high-end smartwatches. These two new wearable platforms are the first in the industry to support direct satellite connectivity, allowing users to receive two-way emergency messages directly through their smartwatches even when there is no mobile network.

The Snapdragon W5+ 2nd Gen and W5 2nd Gen platforms use Skylo’s Narrowband Non-Terrestrial Network (NB-NTN) for satellite connectivity. Thanks to the 4nm process, the second generation of W5+ is equipped with an optimized radio frequency front end (RFFE) for better performance and higher efficiency. Size and power consumption are also reduced by approximately 20%, allowing OEMs to create thinner and lighter smartwatches with longer battery life.

To improve GPS positioning accuracy in densely populated cities or deep canyon areas, Qualcomm’s Location Machine Learning 3.0 can improve GPS positioning accuracy by up to 50% compared to previous generation wearable platforms.

The Snapdragon W5 Gen 2 is compatible with the latest version of Wear OS and also provides support for the recently released Google Pixel Watch 4.

Sandeep Waraich, senior director of product management for wearables at Google, said:

We’re thrilled that Snapdragon W5 2nd Gen is powering the new Google Pixel Watch 4, delivering great performance, an enjoyable experience, and potentially life-saving features. For smartwatches, performance, efficiency and connectivity are critical and need to operate seamlessly in any environment. This new platform works seamlessly with Wear OS 6 and excels in every aspect. As the first smartwatch on the market to feature emergency satellite communications, it marks a giant leap forward for our suite of safety features.

This new W5 wearable platform is available with or without a low-power coprocessor (i.e. Snapdragon W5+ Gen 2) (i.e. Snapdragon W5 Gen 2). Google uses its own co-processor in the Pixel Watch 4, so it's using the Snapdragon W5 Gen 2.