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Five Benefits Bluetooth LE Audio Would Have for Next-Generation AirPods Pro
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But Apple uses AAC, not SBC, so these are irrelevant for AirPods. LC3 does worse than AAC.
Maybe this reduces latency when switching, but I'm pretty sure you don't actually want your AirPods to output audio from multiple devices simultaneously.
Great news! Now as an AirPods Max owner, I’m wondering when I can get this and something better for lossless audio. My hearing is better than average and I’m confident that I can tell the difference.
Not just that they have superhuman hearing that they can actually tell the difference, but that their $200 AirPods can actually properly deliver said sound AND that the environment is going to become silent while they are out and about so they can hear every nuance of their lossless music. There's a reason why audiophiles have dedicated rooms with tens of thousands of dollars of equipment to reproduce audio in original format. Not $200 earpods with teeny tiny speakers in them.
I don’t see how LC3 helps us at all. SBC is that high latency audio codec we used to use in Bluetooth years ago. New audio codecs such as aptX (codec), AAC (codec), and AD2P (method) have been around for years and AirPods use AAC. Am I missing something here?
I’m hoping we see surprise connectivity using the U1 as has been rumored. We know Apple intends to do something to address the bandwidth problem, and with the U1 now being standard as far back as the 11, it’s time to use it. Apple made a feature exclusive to M1 iPads like six months after they were on the market, so there’s plenty of install base for the U1.
All the people asking for lossless for audio drivers that don't have the resolution to support them ...
I'm almost certainly getting the new AirPod Pros. It just seems like such a significant upgrade to me.
I was somewhat disappointed, that the iPhone 13 does not support BT LE Audio yet. Still hoping that it can be upgraded by software. Bluetooth LE Audio at least on paper seems to fix many of the annoyances currently plaguing wireless headphones.
I do think that they (Apple) likely have something in the works with regard to near-Lossless wireless audio — but no way is that happening anytime soon. When they achieve THAT, it will ge a much bigger announcement, and probably get its own event. Agreed regarding the LC3 quality; another codec and/or solution will be required to transmit Lossless (or near Lossless) audio quality. From what I have read, the Sony, Qualcomm, and I think one other solution are not truly Lossless either, and they have major stability issues due to the bandwith and codec limitations as they exist, even in 5.2 and 5.3 BT.
I’m not sure how Apple will do it…but I’m sure they are working on an elegant solution to the issue, just not one that will be ready this year.
Apple could switch to something better like putting Kleer chips in all their devices.... but then only new devices would work with them and they'd sell less so they don't. Currently a dongle or adapter box is needed but this tech could be adapted to be installed as a chip in a phone like it is in headphones.
Well, that is a different issue entirely, whether the end-user will truly be able to hear a difference in Lossless or near-Lossless audio quality vs the current standard. Most people will not be able to hear the difference.
There are tests available (online) that have been published over the years testing the user’s ability to distinguish between low, standard, and high-lossless bit-rate audio, and something like 90% or more of people cannot differentiate between (AAC) 264 kbps and (AptX HD) 600 kbps, (Sony) 996 kbps, or FLAC 800-1100 kbps audio (FLAC transmitted ONLY to wired headphones). The Samsung codec still hits the same limit as the Sony LDAC codec, and is wildly variable in quality in order to maintain a stable connection. Hard to actually call that lossless since it dips down into the 300’s. As with most things Samsung, they oversell what they can actually deliver.
Don’t get me wrong, I’ll be one of the first in line to buy a wireless AND lossless streaming audio headphone/earbud! Will I be able to tell the difference or will it mostly be in my head? I don’t care. I think that with a good implementation there will be improvement overall.
You're missing the elements of woo, hysteria, and paranoia that keep this fantasy alive...
What if I want to be ionised?! Why is Apple denying me my rights?!
My soul needs to be cleansed in the fires of Mount Cupertino!
So the codec supporting lossless will be introduced with the new AirPods Max and new HomePods. i wont buy this version of the AirPods Pro if I won’t have to 
I don't need lossless audio, but I wish they'd figure out a way to increase the range to more than ~30 feet. I walk around the house with them, the wife uses hers for gardening and doesn't like to carry the phone or iPad around with her, something like 50 feet would make a big difference.
They already have LE technology in their devices. However, LC3 is a new codec for lower energy data transmission without huge loss of data. There wouldn’t be audio quality increase with LC3, but a gain in a battery life. Unfortunately it is not enough, users are in demand of quality increase, like lossless
So no one but be careful about Cancer & brain tumors from wearing wireless radiation devices on their heads . Smh poor Americans. Wi-Fi cellphones microwaves hell anything wireless is dangerous & causes all types of health issues