Qualcomm's XPAN system will start to appear in commercial earbuds soon, it is claimed.
It uses Wi-Fi for much higher quality audio and very low latency.
The audio quality of the best wireless headphones has got a lot better in recent years. Where early Bluetooth models didn't sound brilliant, new technologies such as aptX HD/Adaptive and LDAC have upped the sound considerably – they are still a touch lossy, however.
Now a new, completely lossless audio system is coming, and the first commercially available earbuds to use it are reportedly on the horizon.
Qualcomm's XPAN technology, which short for Expanded Personal Area Network, uses Wi-Fi instead of Bluetooth for even higher audio quality in music, calls and games. It'll require a Snapdragon chip in your phone or tablet, as well as a Snapdragon S7 Pro chip in the headphones, but can transmit and receive audio without additional compression.
XPAN sound: why it's good and when you can hear it
There are three big benefits to XPAN. The first is that it's truly lossless, and capable of delivering 24-bit/96kHz audio without using more power than a current lossy 96kHz signal over Bluetooth. Its maximum bitrate is 24-bit/192kHz.
The second is that it's low latency all the time. With Bluetooth you have to choose between low latency and high bitrates, so you can't have both simultaneously when you're gaming or doing anything else that requires fast responses.
And the third is range. You'll be able to listen when you're further away from your device, so you won't need to carry your phone around when you're in other rooms.
But the most exciting part is that we should start to see products that support the new standard in the coming months.
Qualcomm had previously planned to announce the first XPAN wireless earbuds in 2024, but while that didn't happen it shouldn't be much longer before there are actual products to listen to.
Speaking to Android Authority, the company said that the firm is "excited to be collaborating with several of our customers to bring the first devices with XPAN to market, and these will be announced very, very soon."
We'll let you know when we hear more.
