Bluetooth Roadmap: The Promise of Wireless Audio Realized?

Hope is on the way for High-Quality Wireless Audio. The Bluetooth SIG is accelerating its technology updates and anticipating an ambitious roadmap of technology updates. With more than 50 active enhancement projects in process for upcoming specifications, including High Data Throughput, Bluetooth will evolve to support lossless codecs, high-resolution audio, and even multichannel formats. What should we expect next from Bluetooth?

An exclusive interview with Dino Bekis, Qualcomm's Vice President and General Manager, Wearables & Mixed Signal Solutions Business Unit, where he shares fascinating insights into the company's roadmap and future developments, leveraging the best of Bluetooth and Wi-Fi in wireless earbuds and headphones into a seamless, high-quality audio experience. We also learn about Qualcomm's unique vision for its latest generation Snapdragon Sound platforms, and XPAN technology, allowing wireless hi-res audio without bandwidth constraints or compromising battery life.

Precisely a month since I was at the Barcelona Fira attending the mammoth of a trade show that is Integrated Systems Europe, here I was back in Barcelona for an even bigger and busier event, the annual Mobile World Congress (MWC) promoted by the GSMA. 109,000 attendees and 2,900 exhibitors. In this first impressions report I discuss Bluetooth, why there was no Auracast, how Qualcomm made a splash with XPAN, and why are mobile operators obsessed with AI and Robots.

Ceva announced the first complete multi-protocol wireless connectivity platform that supports Bluetooth High Data Throughput (HDT). This next generation technology meets the pressing need for Bluetooth devices looking to support streaming of even larger media at higher data rates. The new Ceva-Waves Links200 IP platform is designed to dramatically enhance wireless audio capabilities and support advanced applications like 7.1 audio systems.