APT-X in next generation iOS devices

[wditters]

I was wondering whether anyone would be able to tell whether Apple will include Bluetooth 4.0 + APT-X in their next generation iOS devices? While building on Bluetooth 4.0, APT-X offers a vast improvement in sound quality due to its increased audio bandwith.

I have been happily using a Sennheiser MM 550-X on my iPhone and iPad with the optional APT-X dongle for almost a year now. And since Apple already implemented APT-X in the new 2012 Macbook Air (this sounds awesome when paired with the MM 550-X !!) I would sincerly hope Apple would take the next step with the new iOS devices.

Anyone any clues?

 

[irDigital0l]

wut...

Judging by leaks the speaker grills do seem to be bigger.

That all I know.

 

[wditters]

For reference, the current Bluetooth audio protocol is AD2P, which does give quite a decent audio quality, but nowhere near the quality of a regular wired connection.

APT-X is a compression technology codec over Bluetooth and delivers roughly twice the bandwith than regular Bluetooth, resulting a HiFi signal that is equal to the competitive "Kleer" technology and by all means almost as good as a wired connection.

For me it's clear, if you go for wireless music reproduction, APT-X is an enhancement of the Bluetooth protocol that simply should not be overlooked for future iOS devices. I sincerely hope that Apple is of the same opinion. Having already integrated APT-X to the new gen Macbook Air is promising but by no means a guarantee .....

 

[ThatsMeRight]

What is APT-X exactly? Why is it important? And you're talking about bluetooth... you mean that you're talking about wireless transfer of music? Or are you talking about the headphone jack?

 

[wditters]

With the APT-X codec, the sound over wireless headphones has become virtually as good as when played over wired headphones.

The 2012 Gen Mac Mini, Mabook Air and Macbook Pro now have APT-X compression over Bluetooth implemented as a standard.

This opens a complete new range of possibilities with wireless speakers and headphones sounding as good as conventional wired designs.

See the following links:

APT-X on Wikipedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apt-X

Compatible devices:
http://www.jessebandersen.com/2012/05/list-of-apt-x-compatible-devices.html

 

[Fernandez21]

Apt-x can only be implemented with Bluetooth 4.0, so does anyone know if it can be added with a software update to the iPhone 4S, since it uses Bluetooth 4.0? The htc one X I have has apt-x and it sound MUCH better with my stereo than the iPhone.

 

[profets]

I guess with time we could see APT-X come to iOS. It did take a few years for A2DP to come with iOS 3 and I remember using it a few years earlier and hoping it would come to iOS at one point.

I would say the only worry being with AirPlay that Apple may not see a rush to implement APT-X on iOS, even though they aren't direct competitors.

 

[wditters]

I would say the only worry being with AirPlay that Apple may not see a rush to implement APT-X on iOS, even though they aren't direct competitors.

I'd say they're complimentary. APT-X would allow you to listen (wirelessly) to a player (iPhone/iPad/iPod/Mac) that would get its music delivered to it (wirelessly), but then at top quality

 

[profets]

I'd say they're complimentary. APT-X would allow you to listen (wirelessly) to a player (iPhone/iPad/iPod/Mac) that would get its music delivered to it (wirelessly), but then at top quality

I agree, I would see them as complimentary.

What did you mean by listen wirelessly to a player (iDevice/Mac). Pushing music from something using APT-X (bluetooth) to an iPhone or Mac?

 

[wditters]

What did you mean by listen wirelessly to a player (iDevice/Mac). Pushing music from something using APT-X (bluetooth) to an iPhone or Mac?

Listening to high quality audio >320kbps on Sennheiser MM 550-X wireless headphones. These cans do wired and wireless Bluetooth 4.0 in APT-X quality ... amazing, way better than traditional Bluetooth 2.0 AD2P ...

Currently I use the Sennheiser BTD300i iphone dongle, but I would love to be able to ditch that dongle and connect to my iOS device directly in APT-X quality