The QCC5126 is part of a series of Bluetooth SoCs that have been specifically designed to offer manufacturers the freedom and flexibility to innovate and meet ever-evolving consumer demand for richly featured devices that can be used all day and taken anywhere. Jabra is leveraging the platform in order to achieve up to 7.5 hours battery life that extends up to 28 hours with the USB-C charging case.
In Q2 of 2020, Jabra will also enable two new software features for the Elite Active 75t including Jabra MyControls, giving users the option to use just one earbud and programmable buttons, and Jabra MySound, for individualized audio based on the user’s personal hearing profile (Q2, 2020)
The new Jabra Elite Active 75t earbuds maintains the quality standards for calls and music that are now expected from the brand, but in a product optimised for work-out and fitness use. The Active edition is enhanced for durability and is 22 per cent smaller than its predecessor, the Elite Active 65t. Built with a durable coating providing optimised grip, the earbuds are also dust and sweat resistant. The earbuds also boast an increased IP rating from IP56 (of the Active 65t) to IP57, making them waterproof, including a warranty of 2 years.
The earbuds were also designed to further enhance comfort through its optimal earbud shape and size, which also provides a first-class passive noise isolation. To achieve this, Jabra utilized thousands of ear measurements and scans to create the most optimal earbud shape, building up from four generations of true wireless Elite products and thus providing optimal passive noise reduction for a better sound experience.
The user has the option of being totally immersed in their music or calls. Alternatively, they can use the HearThrough activation to let sound in when needed, leveraging the four built-in microphones. The first Elite Active 75t will be available from late in the first quarter of 2020 in selected retailers.
From the second quarter of 2020 (Q2, 2020), Jabra will introduce a new software experience, Jabra MySound. Uniquely built upon hearing know-how and technology from sister hearing aid company GN Hearing, Jabra MySound will individualize each user’s music experience. MySound enables users to optimize their audio experience based on their personal hearing profile. It requires users to utilize the Jabra Sound+ app, where they will take a test, according to which the app will calibrate the headphones based on each unique profile.
Also available from Q2 2020 is Jabra MyControls, Users will have the option to use just one earbud, allowing for added freedom and extension of battery time. Through the Jabra Sound+ app, users can configure the functions on the left and right earbud to meet their personal preferences.
Jabra and Qualcomm
Jabra has emerged as one of the world’s first companies to take advantage of the ultra-low-power Qualcomm QCC5126 Bluetooth audio SoC from Qualcomm Technologies. Leveraging this collaboration has allowed Jabra to incorporate a compact, feature-rich product implementation, creating a product that delivers more to the true wireless headphones space in the smallest package out there.
Sound quality (65 per cent), battery life (61 per cent) and comfort (58 per cent) are the key features for consumers when considering purchasing wireless earbuds. With this in mind, the QCC5100 series boasts reduced power consumption great audio quality and a miniaturized design that allows for small form factor designs and improved comfort for all day wear.
This has resulted in the development of Jabra’s Elite 75t (launched at IFA 2019) and the Elite Active 75t (announced at CES 2020) true wireless earbuds. The goal for Jabra in designing the Elite Active 75t was to evolve and improve from its predecessor, the Elite Active 65t, delivering stronger comfort and fit in amazingly compact proportions, while keeping the features users’ value most.
The Qualcomm chipset supports Bluetooth 5.0 and has been architected to enable lower power usage and longer battery life. This allowed Jabra to reduce the battery size while also extending battery life of its latest earbuds. The QCC5100 series is also architected to help provide improved speed and greater range. The SoC features a high-performance Bluetooth 5.0 radio and has been designed to secure a high quality and robust wireless connection between the headset and the mobile phone.
Shrinking the product size of the Elite Active 75t, while extending battery life and further improving the true wireless experience, posed significant engineering challenges that Jabra was able to tackle through the collaboration with Qualcomm.
“Ensuring that the same drivers, speakers and microphones fit perfectly in a smaller casing while still performing to their optimal capability was one of the most challenging tasks. We described it as akin to playing a game of 3D Tetris,” says Jorgen Daucke, Product Management & Concepting at Jabra, who played a key role in developing the earbuds.
The Active 75t earbuds are 22 per cent smaller compared to the Elite Active 65t. To reduce the product size, Jabra had to ensure that the same speakers and microphones fit perfectly in a smaller casing while still performing to their optimal capability. The QCC5100 series has powerful audio processing capabilities delivering the achieved audio quality as well as delivering to the ‘MySound’ functionality – Jabra’s new software experience that individualizes each user’s music experience.
Because consumers are now wearing their earbuds all day and are taking them everywhere, the Qualcomm QCC5126 SoC also incorporates technology that enables adjustable noise leak-through, so users can safely be aware of their surroundings.
The Jabra Elite Active 75t will be available in six colors from February 2020 in selected retailers, MSRP (€199/$199).
www.jabra.com
