Future high-resolution wireless audio could soon become a reality within a few years.
In a bid to revolutionise the audio landscape, Qualcomm is spearheading the development of high-resolution wireless audio technology. The tech giant is set to launch its new Spotify HiFi tier, which will offer 24-bit hi-res streaming, marking a significant leap from the current 16-bit CD quality.
Qualcomm's vice president, Dino Bekis, has announced that the company believes wi-fi and Bluetooth technologies provide the necessary headroom to achieve 24-bit/192kHz lossless audio. This improvement will be delivered through Qualcomm's Expanded Personal Area Network (XPAN) technology.
The Buds 5 Pro, Xiaomi's latest wi-fi earbuds, are the first to utilise XPAN technology, offering 24-bit/96kHz lossless audio at a bandwidth of up to 4.2Mbps. Qualcomm is planning to announce new headphone and earbud partners set to use its existing wi-fi chips "very soon".
Qualcomm's XPAN technology offers complete scalability, allowing it to adjust the quality of the stream depending on network conditions, both over Bluetooth and wi-fi. This means listeners can enjoy high-quality audio without the fear of network instability drastically affecting their listening experience.
Moreover, Qualcomm is planning to deliver significantly improved, scalable hi-res audio in the next few years. The company's efforts are not limited to wireless headphones, as they are also planning to release a potential move into streaming "dongles" designed to add XPAN and Snapdragon Audio to older devices.
The improvement in wireless audio quality is not exclusive to Qualcomm. Lenbrook, MQA's parent company, has already secured a partnership with hi-res streaming service HDTracks to use the MQA's Airia transmission codec. This latest version of the SCL6 prototype codec is designed to offer similar scalability and power efficiency.
Currently, there are only a select few services that offer 24-bit/192kHz streams, including Tidal, Apple Music, and Qobuz. With the advancements in wireless technology, it is expected that more services will follow suit, offering listeners an immersive, high-quality audio experience.
Qualcomm has also announced new partners including Decathlon, RAIN Alliance, and EssilorLuxottica, who will use its existing Wi-Fi chips, notably the Dragonwing Q-6690 chipset that integrates Wi-Fi 7 alongside other wireless technologies.
In conclusion, the future of wireless audio is promising, with Qualcomm and its partners leading the charge towards high-resolution, lossless audio streaming. As more services and devices adopt these technologies, listeners can look forward to an enhanced audio experience, whether they are streaming music on their smartphones, tablets, or even older devices with the addition of streaming "dongles".
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