As part of its MWC 2019 proceedings, Qualcomm has made a number of announcements today and most of which have revolved around 5G and the various sectors that are now turning to the company’s solutions and services.
However, within the barrage of Qualcomm 5G announcements the company also provided an update on its audio ambitions by explaining that its newest Bluetooth audio SoCs are now a step closer to more consumers due to a number of companies having brought to market various audio products boasting the Qualcomm tech over the past few months.
These include products branded by Cleer Inc., Mobvoi, Mavin, OPPO, Jabra, CrazyBaby, FUNCL, NAIN and ZERO AUDIO. Qualcomm is specifically referencing how these devices draw on the QCC5100 and the QCC302x series Bluetooth audio SoCs.
The QCC5100 was unveiled in January of last year at CES 2018 as a solution for earbuds and hearables in general. While the QCC302x series debuted later in the same year with the QCC3026 as an option designed specifically with true wireless audio products in mind.
Regardless of which Bluetooth Audio SoC is in employed, the general idea is to reduce the battery drain on audio products leading to longer levels of daily usage when away from a charge. For example, the two SoCs are said to offer up to 65-percent power consumption improvements compared to previous solutions, and in the case of the QCC5100 this means up to ten hours of playback from a 65 mAh battery.
This is something that not only benefits all wireless headphones, regardless of whether they are truly wireless or not, but is also designed to reflect the current state of the industry as a whole. That state being the consistent move away from a headphone jack by smartphone makers in favor of a wireless listening experience.
Of course, battery saving is not the only benefit of these audio SoCs — although it is the one the company has been most keen to point out — as they are also designed to improve latency levels and still maintain a high-quality audio experience in general.
Likewise, even when not using these solutions for music playback, users can still expect an improved experience as they come with noise cancellation features that are beneficial when making voice calls through a connected device.
Qualcomm has essentially taken the opportunity today to point out that although these SoCs were announced in 2018 their embracing by audio device makers over the months has started to grow. While also highlighting how these chips are said to provide a more reliable and seamless Bluetooth experience, and this is respectively of what they are being used for.
If a Bluetooth connection is being made with a nearby device, then Qualcomm wants consumers to know they will experience a richer wireless experience in general. That, and these Bluetooth audio SoCs are now becoming commonplace enough at the product level that they might be one of the features worth considering when trying to decide on which pair of wireless headphones, earphones, or earbuds to buy in 2019.