Qualcomm first announced its Snapdragon Sound technology back in March, stating that the technology would hopefully one day be able to offer “high-resolution, wired quality audio, wirelessly.” And now, the company is poised to deliver that soon.
At the company’s recent event in New York City, Qualcomm shared that Snapdragon Sound is bringing “bit-for-bit CD Lossless quality” to earbuds and headphones over Bluetooth with ultra-low latency thanks to its aptX Lossless technology. This means you can enjoy CD-quality 16-bit 44.1kHz lossless audio without having to plug in a pair of wired headphones, which is great for gaming, going out for a run, and any scenario in between.
Qualcomm is also working with over 30 OEMs to roll out its Snapdragon Sound technology to their products and services, which include brands like Master & Dynamic, Amazon Music HD, Edifier, Xiaomi, Audio-Technica, Motorola, and, of course, ASUS’ Smartphone for Snapdragon Insiders among others. OEM’s will also have the ability to support a range of formats including CD lossless, HD 24-bit 48kHz, and high-resolution 24-bit 96kHz.
“With Snapdragon Sound we’ve taken a new systems-level approach, looking at the complete audio chain from mobile to earbuds and introducing new ways to think about sound quality,” said James Chapman, Vice President and General Manager of voice, music, and wearables at Qualcomm Technologies International, Ltd. “By optimizing across the entire audio chain, we can enable our customers to deliver ultra-low latency for gaming, crystal clear voice calls and high quality music listening, all with reliable and consistent connectivity to ensure seamless user experience.”
The technology will dynamically scale and adapt to your surroundings and your current activity (like gaming or listening to Spotify) and ensure you’re always getting the best possible audio performance based on your link quality. It’ll also make it easy to hear your favorite music albums just as the artists intended.
And if you’re in a video call or gaming online via your smartphone, Snapdragon Sound practically eliminates lag, for a near-perfect experience without tethering you with a cord. The company’s aptX Lossless technology will utilize Bluetooth latencies as low as 89 milliseconds (which is 45% lower than its competitors), along with active noise cancellation and support for super wideband voice.
Qualcomm hasn’t released a set date for when we can expect to see the tech in action, only that it’s on the way and already in the hands of audio and smartphone OEMs. They’re probably just as excited to show off what they can do with it as we are to get our hands on it and hear it for ourselves. Keep your eyes peeled for that “Snapdragon Sound” logo on some upcoming tech!
