Bluetooth Unveils Its Biggest Upgrade That Is Coming To Headphones, the LE Audio

Bluetooth is receiving a major upgrade after the years of delay.

The market has definitely ushered a new generation of wireless headphones that support innovative new features such as enabling connectivity in multiple devices.

New generation of wireless headphones that consume less power and have a better sound quality.

This is because of Bluetooth LE Audio, which is an umbrella term for a collection of new features that can be added to Bluetooth devices.

The Bluetooth standards body is officially announcing the completion of this collection of new features for Bluetooth devices today.

Bluetooth's LE Audio

Bluetooth's newest upgrade has a number of components that make up Bluetooth's Low Energy (LE) Audio.

However, the brand-new LC3 codec is the one that is most likely to have an effect on most people.

This codec was developed to be a considerably more effective method of transmitting audio.

With that, a much better audio quality will result at the same bit rate than the current baseline SBC codec. Bluetooth SIG also claims that the technology could also mean an improved audio quality at less than half the bit rate.

When the bit rate is lower, the amount of power that is consumed is also lower, which should result in a longer battery life.

According to The Verge, Bluetooth SIG CEO, Mark Powell, "Our members overcame the many challenges placed on them these past few years to complete the largest specification development project in the history of the Bluetooth SIG."

Bluetooth's LE Audio Features

Under the LE Audio umbrella, LC3 is just one of the many features that are available to users.

It is also capable of connecting multiple audio devices to a single source, a capability that it refers to as the Auracast feature. This is yet another important aspect.

This may involve something as straightforward as connecting two sets of headphones to a single mobile device, or connecting a number of earbuds to a single television set located in a public area such as a fitness center.

Another connectivity feature is the QR code scanning. On the website of the Bluetooth SIG, instructions are provided for users on how to connect to audio sources by scanning a QR code, tapping an NFC-enabled surface, or searching for audio sources in the same manner as one would search for a Wi-Fi network.

There is also an improved support for truly wireless earbuds, which is made possible by the fact that Bluetooth LE Audio.

This feature will allow users to have a sustained Bluetooth connectivity with devices even if there is distance.

It is also hoped that all of LE Audio's features, when combined, will be able to serve as a massive benefit for the development of future hearing aids.

Bluetooth Hampered Release

According to HTG, Bluetooth LE Audio is a new Bluetooth low-power audio transmission standard. It is distinct from Bluetooth 5 and 5.1.

Bluetooth LE was announced at CES 2020 by the Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG), a community of over 34,000 companies that produce and design wireless technology devices.

The LE Audio feature was announced way back in the beginning of 2020 and expected the technology will be launched at the end of the year.

However, everything came to halt when the pandemic hit. The release of the standard today means that manufacturers may finally begin adding support to their devices.

According to the Bluetooth Special Interest Group, this indicates that the first compatible items should start becoming available by the end of the year.

Powell added, this is Bluetooth SIG's most important and ambitious feature development project in its history.