Qualcomm Technologies Inc. recently introduced its new Snapdragon W5+ Gen 2 and W5 Gen 2 wearable platforms, claiming the first to support narrowband non-terrestrial network (NB-NTN) satellite. These new wearable platforms leverage Skylo’s NB-NTN, enabling two-way emergency messaging directly from a wearable device. This will allow emergency communications in remote areas without cell connection, enabling the user to send SOS messages without mobile network coverage.
Qualcomm brings NB-NTN satellite support into the wearables space with a focus on emergency and location services for sending and receiving messages when outside of cellular and Wi-Fi coverage areas. In 2024, the company launched the Snapdragon X80 5G modem-RF system, which included the first 5G modem with fully integrated NB-NTN satellite communications support, along with a six-antenna architecture for smartphones.
The new Snapdragon W5+ Gen 2 and W5 Gen 2 wearable platforms, built on a 4-nm system-on-chip (SoC) architecture, deliver enhancements in connectivity, efficiency, form factor, and location tracking. Key components of the Gen 2 platforms include a new 4-nm SoC (SW5150), a 22-nm always-on (AON) co-processor (QCC5100 with Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity), modem/GNSS RF front end (WTR3925 RF transceiver, QPA6590 power amplifier (PA) module, and QFM6518 RF module), and power management IC (PMW5100).
The difference between the two platforms is the AON co-processor. The Snapdragon W5+ Gen 2 incorporates the low-power co-processor and the Snapdragon W5 Gen 2 does not include the chip. The latter option gives customers the flexibility to select a co-processor from a range of vendors.
Snapdragon W5+ Gen 2 block diagram (Source: Qualcomm Technologies Inc.)
The three “pillars” of the W5+ and W5 Gen 2 platforms are satellite support–the first wearable platform to support satellite in the market; GNSS with improved accuracy, and new RF front-end components, said John Kehrli, senior director, product management, for Qualcomm’s wearables business.
These upgrades include enhanced machine-learning capabilities with Location Machine Learning 3.0 for improved GPS positioning accuracy by up to 50% in dense urban and deep canyon areas compared to the previous generation. “A key benefit of machine-learning GNSS is around the higher precision without a power impact,” Kehrli said.
The other key upgrade is an optimized RF front end with a 20% smaller footprint and lower power consumption, compared to the previous generation. This results in smaller, thinner, and more power-efficient wearable devices, he said.
Key features of the Snapdragon W5+ Gen 2 and W5 Gen 2 platforms (Source: Qualcomm Technologies Inc.)
Use cases matter
Kehrli stresses the new platform focuses on new use cases and the user experience, bringing proven technology used in the mobile space and optimizing it for wearables.
“Historically in the wearable space we update products every couple of years with major chipsets,” Kehrli said. “But in the last couple of years there has been a desire to bring new use cases and new experiences to market between these major chip refreshes, unlocking new capabilities.”
Use cases for NB-NTN is anywhere there isn’t traditional base station coverage support and where a user is not carrying a mobile phone during some outdoor activity such as mountain biking, remote running, river rafting, or swimming, Kehrli explained. “There are a lot of different use cases where a device that sits on your wrist is going to be a bit easier to use and you have the comfort of knowing that if something happens you have the connection to get the support that you need.”
GNSS is important across the entire wearables market and not just for fitness devices; it’s across the board where precision and accuracy matters, especially in difficult environments such as deep urban canyons or in big cities where signals are bouncing off buildings, Kehrli said.
For example, it matters “if you run a half marathon and want to make sure it really is 13.1 miles and not 13.7,” he said.
Here, the focus is on improving that accuracy without any impact on power, he continued. “We did this in a thoughtful way without having this come at a detriment to power.”
The new RF front-end components are optimized for the wearable space, where power and form factor are paramount for consumers, Kehrli said. “They want smaller device form factors and they want lower power.”
The RF front end is comprised of two main components, the QPA6590 and QFM6518 modules both with high integration. “The magic around the RF side is around reducing the footprint through integration, while continuing to meet and beat all the market requirements around performance and temperature,” he said.
This was achieved with a proprietary custom package technology to reduce the size and power consumption, and to manage the temperature fluctuations with that as well, he added.
The Snapdragon W5 Gen 2 is compatible with the latest version of Wear OS and offers multiple OS support. It is launching first with the Google Pixel Watch 4 and is fine-tuned for multi-device experiences and advanced features.
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