Satellite communications for emergencies
The W5 Gen 2 series integrates Skylo's Narrowband Non-Terrestrial Network (NB-NTN). This allows users to send and receive messages via satellite, especially in situations without network coverage. Qualcomm positions this feature as a safety feature for outdoor athletes, travelers, and users in remote areas.
While the Snapdragon W5+ Gen 2 features an additional energy-saving co-processor, the W5 Gen 2 relies solely on a main SoC. Both variants are based on a 4nm design and are engineered for high efficiency and more compact device forms.
Improved positioning and energy efficiency
Also new is Location Machine Learning 3.0, which, according to Qualcomm, increases GPS accuracy in urban environments or narrow valleys by up to 50 percent compared to the previous generation.
An optimized RF Front End (RFFE) reduces the platform size by around 20 percent while also lowering power consumption. This should enable manufacturers to develop wearables with longer battery life and slimmer housings.
Technical key data
- Manufacturing: 4 nm
- CPU: up to 1,7 GHz
- GPU: Adreno A702, up to 1 GHz, OpenGL ES 3.1
- Memory: LPDDR4 (2133 MHz, 16 bit)
- Connectivity: LTE, GSM/EDGE, Wi-Fi 4 (2,4/5 GHz), Bluetooth 5.3, NFC (via third party)
- Satellite systems: NB-NTN, GPS, Galileo, GLONASS, Beidou (Dual L1/L5)
- Sensors & Features: Always-on coprocessor (W5+ only), Deep Sleep/Hibernate power saving modes, Qualcomm AI Engine, Hexagon processor
- Security: Qualcomm Trusted Execution Environment (TEE) 4.0.5
First smartwatch: Pixel Watch 4
The kick-off is the Google PixelWatch 4, which is equipped with the Snapdragon W5 Gen 2. Combined with Wear OS 6, it offers not only performance and efficiency improvements but also the new satellite function "Pixel Watch Satellite SOS," although this depends on region and availability.
Source: Press release
