Qualcomm launches Snapdragon Wear Elite, FastConnect 8800, and X105 5G Modem at MWC 2026

The Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2026 has kicked off in Spain, and tech brands are making sure to build presence with new innovations and showcases. Semiconductor giant Qualcomm has announced a trio of announcements with the Snapdragon Wear Elite, FastConnect 8800, and X105 5G Modem. These new launches will power the future of wearable and next-generation mobile technology all at once.

Qualcomm FastConnect 8800 Mobile Connectivity System

Qualcomm announced a new mobile connectivity solution dubbed FastConnect 8800, which integrates Wi-Fi 8, Bluetooth 7, Ultra Wideband, and Thread. It features a 4x4 radio architecture that claims to deliver Wi-Fi speeds of up to 11.6 Gbps.

The system supports 6GHz, 5GHz, and 2.4GHz bands, 320MHz channels, bidirectional MU-MIMO, OFDMA, and TWT. Additionally, FastConnect 8800 integrates Bluetooth 7, including Channel Sounding, Snapdragon Sound, XPAN, LE Audio, and aptX. Qualcomm also announced the Proximity AI stack for intelligent device detection, pairing optimisation, and context-aware interactions.

Snapdragon Wear Elite

Qualcomm also announced a dedicated chip, the Snapdragon Wear Elite, to power the next generation of AI wearables. The chip integrates Qualcomm’s Hexagon NPU, bringing billion-parameter AI models directly on the device. 

The company claims that the chip comes with agentic AI capabilities, offering features such as personalised recommendations, natural voice interactions, and it is also said to perform tasks on the user’s behalf.

The Snapdragon Wear Elite boasts up to 5x single-core CPU, 7x GPU improvements, and 30% longer battery life versus last gen. It also offers expanded connectivity options such as 5G RedCap, Micro-Power Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 6.0, Ultra-Wideband (UWB), GNSS, and NB-NTN satellite connectivity.

Qualcomm also confirms that devices powered by Snapdragon Wear Elite will debut in the coming months.

Qualcomm X105 5G Modem-RF System

At MWC, Qualcomm also announced a flagship modem platform, the X105 5G Modem-RF, which also integrates WiFi 8. This new system claims to boost AI-powered 5G connectivity, with a fifth-generation 5G AI processor.

The company claims that X105 cuts power by 30% and footprint by 15% via new RF transceiver tech, in comparison to its predecessor. The modem further includes QET8200 envelope tracker, NR-NTN (Non-Terrestrial Network) connectivity, next-generation GNSS engine, and more for enhanced satellite integration and efficient 5G performance.