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- If Apple enables LE Audio on its devices, it will bring many improvements.
- They already have the necessary hardware to support LE Audio.
- Even if Apple is flashing LE Audio, don’t count on it supporting Auracast.
On the docket of Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC), there’s a more powerful, chatty Siri and anticipation for this big iOS update. Although hardware announcements are very tight in the fall, Apple analyst Mark Gurman asserted that Apple was working on a new model of AirPods with integrated cameras to feed natural images to Siri.
Also: If Samsung’s Galaxy Buds 4 have you covered, I hope you’re ready for camera-equipped earbuds.
Although the integrated infrared cameras open up a world of possibilities to expand the earbud’s capabilities, there is one small improvement of the AirPods that I really like: LE Audio. The current edition of Apple AirPods, AirPods Max 2, AirPods Pro 3, and AirPods 4, all have LE Audio base devices; all that’s missing is for Apple to pull the lever and enable an over-the-air firmware update.
LE Audio on AirPods will deliver improved battery life, lower latency, better latency and sound quality, and better hearing aid performance.
Selecting preferred codecs
In a perfect world, Apple will enable LE Audio on its source devices (iPhone, Mac, iPad) and receivers (AirPods), and allow consumers to switch between AAC and LC3 within the device’s Bluetooth settings. Apple prefers the AAC Bluetooth codec and optimized it for Apple devices when the iTunes Store was launched in 2003.
Therefore, it is built on the old technology of the Classic radio, and it is very powerful. If you’ve ever connected non-Apple headphones to an Apple source device, you’ll notice that the headphones’ battery drains quickly.
AirPods Max 2 in Starlight
Jada Jones/ZDNET
In this case, having the option to enable LC3 in the Bluetooth settings of an Apple-branded device can make a difference. Users can experience audio quality comparable to Apple’s AAC codec, with very low latency and efficient power consumption.
Apple users often connect non-Apple headphones and hearing aids to their Macs, iPads, or iPhones, and the power consumption of those third-party headphones while AAC streaming is not as optimized as it is with Apple’s AirPods. As a result, users can experience battery drain.
Also: I’ve connected a Bluetooth Auracast receiver to my TV, and it’s a useful home audio upgrade.
The opposite is also true: for AirPods users with tablets or third-party computers, enabling the LC3 codec will bring improved sound quality, very low latency, and stable connections. Although AAC is widely accepted, Apple’s audio signal encoding is more advanced and reliable than that of other manufacturers.
SBC is the default, lossless Bluetooth codec that must be supported by all Bluetooth-enabled devices, while AAC is optional but widely accepted. Apple chose AAC because of its superior sound quality. LE Audio replaces the SBC with the LC3.
Don’t bet on Auracast
Due to Apple’s preference for a walled garden environment, Apple may choose to leave some features of LE Audio and keep other proprietary methods within its own ecosystem.
I have had several conversations with the Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG), the organization that oversees the development of Bluetooth technology. What has always stuck with me after these discussions is that it is up to the manufacturers to decide which Bluetooth features are used in a Bluetooth enabled device.
Also: I spoke with Bluetooth representatives about the future of connected audio, and it’s cooler than I expected
So even though Apple has enabled LE Audio on its devices, it still chooses to leave out other features, such as Auracast. Instead, Apple will keep its audio sharing feature exclusive to AirPods and Beats users. Apple devices already use a Bluetooth Low Energy radio to be able to sense proximity and synchronize audio when sharing audio.
As the years go by and society becomes a web of connected devices, Apple has become more open to accepting standard technology features, even if begrudgingly. Encrypted RCS messages and universal USB-C ports became the standard for manufacturers and the ecosystem, and over time, Apple adopted them. Hopefully, LE Audio is next.
