Qualcomm

Qualcomm cuts Bluetooth latency to 20ms with latest upgrade

Ben Schoon | Jun 22 2023 - 10:40 am PT

Qualcomm just announced a new upgrade to its Snapdragon Sound tech that could bring Bluetooth audio latency to as low as just 20ms on Android devices.

Announced today, the Qualcomm S3 Gen 2 Sound platform is set to bring some big enhancements to devices that support Snapdragon Sound, most notably of which is support for ultralow latency audio streaming. Over Bluetooth, users with supported devices will see latency as low as just 20 milliseconds (ms).

That’s an impressive figure when you consider that many high-end earbuds, such as Apple’s AirPods Pro, often hover around 120 to 150ms. OnePlus claims that its Buds Pro can achieve 94ms, and that in itself is impressive.

But this new solution from Qualcomm could seriously change the game, though Qualcomm notes this is “optimized for gaming.”

Beyond that, this new platform will also support updates to LE audio. Qualcomm explains:

The solution will also support the latest LE Audio Auracast™ broadcast capabilities for dongles and adapters, which can transform devices such as TVs, phones, laptops, PCs, consoles and a wide range of other audio equipment into premium broadcast platforms. For music listening, 24-bit 96kHz high-resolution Bluetooth® streaming is supported using Snapdragon Sound and Qualcomm® aptX™ Adaptive audio technology. Snapdragon Sound allows for premium music playback, so listeners can hear every detail of their music just as the artist intended it to be heard.

The Qualcomm S3 Gen 2 Sound platform is built on Bluetooth 5.4, which isn’t found in many devices today, so it might be a while before you see this tech in your device.