Qualcomm is not only the manufacturer that specializes in mobile processors. They are also behind the legendary aptX codec and the superfast 5G network. Well, the telecommunications giant has brought another state-of-the-art technology to showcase.
Wondering what that might be? The leading telecommunication giant has recently announced two new ultra-low-power and feature-packed wireless audio platforms. These two will go by Qualcomm S3 Sound Platform and Qualcomm S6 Sound Platform. The code name for each is QCC517x and QCC307x, respectively.
These two dual-mode platforms boast the “ultimate wireless sound experience utilizing the Snapdragon 8 mobile platform, Qualcomm FastConnect 6900 and the newly announced 7800 subsystems, and Snapdragon Sound technology.”
So, what does it mean? The platforms will combine the current Bluetooth technology for wireless audio with the new LE Audio technology standard. But, what will the users gain from these two platforms? At their core, the new platforms will offer the manufacturers of True Wireless Stereo (TWS) buds higher overall flexibility for customization.
Eventually, this will translate into more feature inclusion and customized sound signature at the higher range of tiers. That includes Bluetooth 16 bit or 44.1KHz CD Lossless audio quality. Also, the Bluetooth 24 bit or 96Khz high-resolution audio quality and 32KHz super wideband voice call quality will finally be possible with TWS.
But that is not all! The two platforms will bring robust Bluetooth connectivity even in the busy RF environments, a gaming audio latency of 68ms, stereo recording for the content creators, and crystal clear voice capture to the table.
Additionally, the other promises of these platforms include low-power optimization of LE Audio and dual-mode for audio broadcasting and sharing. The new platforms will also bring multipoint Bluetooth wireless connectivity, which will let the user make convenient and virtually seamless transitions between different sources.
Most importantly, you will see Qualcomm’s 3rd generation of Adaptive Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) along with “natural leak-through capability” with these new platforms. The “natural leak-through capability” could finally put an end to the white noise or hissing sound that some of the ANC TWS offer in the transparency mode.
Dying to get a hold of a TWS with the Qualcomm S3 and S5 sound platforms? According to Qualcomm, the S3 and S5 are currently at the sampling stage. And they gave us a hint that the commercial products will be out in the wild in the second half of 2022.
With all of that, you might be thinking that these two platforms will probably put an end to the questions that Apple has been facing lately. Apple Music offers hi-res audio but does not offer a TWS to enjoy them. And you could be correct in that regard. All that is left is to wait and see what the commercial products can actually bring to the table.
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Slava is a man of mystery and no-one seems to know exactly where he is at any point in time. When he isn't enjoying writing about all things audio and technical he can be found researching his next project of interest. The man never rests.