Qualcomm has announced its new “Snapdragon Sound” initiative that will cover its audio hardware. The company seeks to build a collection of audio tech and software that will deliver better audio experiences with any Qualcomm Snapdragon Sound product.
Qualcomm’s Snapdragon Sound to Deliver Better Audio
Qualcomm Snapdragon Sound is a new platform the world-leading chip manufacturer is launching to unify sound quality across products featuring its hardware. Snapdragon Sound will “deliver high-resolution music, crystal-clear voice calls, and lag-free gaming” along with “superior connectivity and extended battery life.”
Snapdragon Sound appears to be a mixture of things, then. However, some new platform features are confirmed.
For example, hardware using Qualcomm’s aptX HD and aptX Adaptive audio codec can currently transmit at a maximum rate of 24-bit/48kHz. Snapdragon Sound will ramp that up to 96kHz, significantly expanding the audio range for hardware that can make use of the tech.
Similarly, Snapdragon Sound will enable 32kHz voice-calls, up from the 8-16kHz used in most wideband calls. It will also integrate “multi-mic echo cancellation and noise suppression technology” using AI to isolate your voice.
The Qualcomm Snapdragon Sound launch page lists several other “key technologies” of the new platform:
- Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 Mobile Platform
- Qualcomm FastConnect System
- Bluetooth Audio SoCs
- aptX
- cVc
- Qualcomm TrueWireless Stereo
- Qualcomm Aqstic
- Active Noise Cancellation
The implications for the Snapdragon Sound platform could be far-reaching. Qualcomm hardware features in the headphones, earbuds, and other audio equipment for heaps of popular companies, including Jabra, Sennheiser, Anker, and many more.
Depending on delivery time and development, many of the upcoming audio products for these companies could begin featuring the Qualcomm Snapdragon Sound logo, indicating that they’re up to date and compatible with the program.
A prime example of the benefits of aptX low latency audio can be seen with the EPOS GTW 270 gaming earbuds. While they’re not a Qualcomm Snapdragon Sound product, they use the aptX codec to deliver a lag-free gaming audio experience, which is noticeable when compared to a regular Bluetooth connection.
Get Ready for the Snapdragon Sound
Qualcomm Snapdragon Sound “is designed to deliver seamless, immersive audio experiences to devices by optimizing audio technologies and software across the entire chain.”
You deserve the best audio experiences, and with Snapdragon Sound, listeners can finally hear every detail of their favorite music just as the artists intended, get fully immersed in lag-free mobile gaming with ultra-low latency, and feel better connected to colleagues and loved ones through voice and video calls with true-to-life audio
What that statement means will inevitably become clearer over time as the Snapdragon Sound platform evolves into its true form.