Apple recently released new AirPods beta firmware along with the first builds of iOS 16 and other upcoming operating systems unveiled during the WWDC 2022 keynote.
The developer has now been able to confirm that the AirPods Max beta can support a higher-quality Bluetooth codec that will at least improve the quality of voice calls on Apple’s premium headphones and can preview the sweetest features coming to the AirPods Pro 2.
As a Twitter user wrote George (by using ShrimpApplePro), he enabled the LC3 codec for AirPods Max via beta firmware. For those who don’t know, the LC3 codec is the upcoming low-power, high-quality Bluetooth codec coming to headphones soon.
A low complexity communications codec – LC3 for short – will be able to transmit at a much lower bit rate without the audio quality degradation that we currently see in the Bluetooth standard.
In this case, as a Twitter user revealed, the LC3 codec will improve audio calls by making them sound better, but it will require Bluetooth 5.2 and next-generation AirPods hardware to unlock the true potential of this technology.
AirPods Pro 2 to support low power audio technology
While the LC3 codec will improve audio calling, efficiency, and stability of Bluetooth devices, the requirements to fully utilize this standard will require Bluetooth 5.2, which no AirPods have.
Sources confirm that the next-generation AirPods Pro, codenamed B698, will feature the next version of the H1 chip, Apple’s own audio processor that will be able to handle the technology.
In addition, I already found in iOS 16 mentions that it will support the LC3 codec and low power audio support. As for LE Audio support, it’s worth noting that Apple’s senior engineer is actively involved in the development of this new standard.
While we can’t confirm support for lossless audio over Bluetooth, as revealed by analyst Ming-Chi Kuo earlier this year, we can say that the sound quality on the AirPods Pro 2 will improve significantly.
With support for Bluetooth 5.2 and LC3, Apple will be able to get rid of AirPods desync when they are in the user’s ears and improve battery life thanks to the low energy standard, with a focus on efficiency and stability.
It’s important to note that just after the WWDC 2022 keynote, the Bluetooth Association announced Auracast Broadcast Audio, also known as Augmenting Reality Audio Broadcasting, which will enhance existing AirPods capabilities and open up new possibilities.
For example, with Auracast, you can listen to songs, watch movies, and more by connecting multiple wireless headphones at the same time. Currently, you can only connect up to two AirPods from a single source.
Speaking of museum conferences and audio tours, you can connect your iPhone and AirPods to the source and listen to the tour, conference, etc.
Other Rumors About Upcoming AirPods and the Future of Lossless Bluetooth
Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo says the new AirPods Pro 2 will still come with a Lightning charger. Additionally, there are rumors of a new form factor and health and fitness tracking capabilities, as Apple itself teased that AirPods could one day complement the Apple Watch’s health tracking capabilities by offering additional data points.
In the end, if you combine all these technologies, we will probably have a better music experience, but at the moment it is impossible to say if Apple will introduce the long-awaited “Lossless Bluetooth” support. companies said they are working, such as Qualcomm and Sony.
What we can say is that all of this technology will require new hardware – and the AirPods Pro 2 will be the first to break the news.
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