There’s a big update coming for Bluetooth headphones

There’s a big update coming for Bluetooth headphones.

Initially announced back in 2020, Bluetooth LE Audio ushers in the next generation of Bluetooth audio; “a new era of smart audio”, which aims to make making audio streaming over Bluetooth more energy efficient. Bluetooth LE Audio differs from the previously named Classic Bluetooth by operating on the Bluetooth Low Energy radio.

LE Audio will include a multi-stream audio feature, enabling multiple audio streams between a single audio source device like your smartphone, and multiple audio sink devices, like your headphones. 

The innovative Auracast broadcast audio feature promises to “deliver life-changing audio experiences”, according to the Bluetooth Special Interest Group, the Bluetooth SIG, a community of over 34,000 companies that produce and design products that use wireless technology. You can see an Auracast infographic below.

Equipped with the new Low Complexity Communications Codec (LC3 codec) — which should ultimately lower the bit rate and therefore lower power consumption — there’s also added support for hearing aids featured under the LE Audio umbrella. It’s expected that the first Bluetooth LE Audio compatible products will be available later this year.

In other headphones news, Dyson recently launched their first wearable in the form of new Bluetooth headphones called Zone, which feature a steel visor that runs from ear to ear and filters the air the wearer breaths, delivering purified air to your nose and mouth.