Actively Smart True Wireless Earbuds: How to Augment Your Hearing

IFA 2020, in Berlin, Germany, was "the first major global fair for consumer and home electronics" to physically take place since the pandemic. This limited push to promote a trade show again, lead some major consumer electronics companies and brands to converge their announcements in the week from September 1-5, with showcases streamed to the world live from the Berlin exhibition grounds. Some announcements were relevant to the audio industry and included the Qualcomm press conference, which used the opportunity to launch its latest Adaptive ANC platform, an important step towards smart true wireless earbuds.

Sound quality, superior active noise cancellation (ANC) performance and excellent passive isolation are the key focus for the new three-model premium-performance ANC headphone range from Philips TV & Sound. The 2020 range will include two high-performance true wireless (TWS) in-ear earbuds and an over-ear ANC headphone. The T8505 & T5505 true wireless models will be available in October, and the H9505 over-ear model to be available in November 2020.

A special occasion deserves a special edition, and Sennheiser is celebrating its 75th anniversary with a limited edition of its updated Momentum True Wireless 2 earbuds, launched in March 2019. The new Anniversary Edition comes in an exclusive all-black design featuring the original Sennheiser logo on the earbuds and case. Created as a thank you to Sennheiser’s customers, it pays tribute to the company’s heritage and reflects the audio specialist’s longstanding commitment to creating unique listening experiences.

Samsung is now selling its new true wireless earbuds worldwide, following a new product announcement event for smartphones and wearable products. The most interesting thing about the new Galaxy Buds Live is the product's original design. More focused on comfortable fit, Samsung combined Harman's driver expertise in a bigger, 12mm dynamic driver, which combined with a bass duct, delivers deeper and richer sounds. To support the active noise cancellation features, the Galaxy Buds Live come with three microphones and a custom Voice Pickup Unit.

Austrian company ams, a leading worldwide supplier of high-performance sensor solutions, shared the results of its ‘Comfortable, Smart, High-performing Earbuds Survey’ conducted in Spring 2020 with 2000-plus consumers around the world on their audio earbud uses, habits and preferences. Earbud comfort seems to be a key focus for existing users, with the survey identifying the benefits of active noise cancellation and volume-limiting technology as top earbud innovations. Preference between loose fit and tight-fitting, in-ear earbuds, depends upon type of activity.

DSP Group, Inc., a leading global provider of wireless chipset solutions for converged communications, has announced the acquisition of privately owned SoundChip SA, a leading supplier of active noise cancellation (ANC) technology, engineering services, design tools, and production-line test systems for headsets. The acquisition combines SoundChip’s proven capabilities in hybrid ANC with DSP Group’s SmartVoice advanced low-power voice processing platform, algorithms, and mixed-signal expertise to streamline the delivery of cutting-edge wireless and true wireless stereo (TWS) headsets, from concept through to manufacturing. DSP Group’s technologies have recently been adopted by Google, Panasonic, and Technics in their latest TWS headset models.

Bragi and Cotron are taking hearables to the next level by combining Bragi's Software Suite with Cotron's development capabilities and ODM factory, creating an efficient end-to-end solution for audio brands. As Bragi continues to expand on its licensing efforts, the Taiwan-based ODM solutions company will be able to combine it's own expertise in ANC and true wireless design and production with a platform that combines the software expertise from Bragi.

Sony Electronics announced the WF-SP800N sport headphones, its newest truly wireless noise canceling model. Designed for an active lifestyle, the WF-SP800N allows users to run, workout at the gym, and enjoy improved music experiences with a secure fit, IP55 rating for water and dust resistance, and long battery life. Based on the same Bluetooth chip from the successful WF-1000XM3, the new WF-SP800N model adds interesting audio processing and personalization feature, with support for 360 Reality Audio.

With its previous generation of QCC SoCs for Bluetooth true wireless earbuds development, Qualcomm enabled virtually every single mobile and CE brand to finally create products able to compete with Apple's massively successful AirPods, still the market leader by a wide margin. Then Apple introduced its AirPods Pro with ANC and its market share expanded even more. Now Qualcomm launched a new generation of SoCs combining hybrid ANC and other technologies to enable brands to design new competitive TWS products.

The new Momentum True Wireless 2 are Sennheiser's latest effort to demonstrate they are also in the major league when it comes to true wireless earbuds, offering an updated proposition that combines style and convenience also with quality sound. The second generation of the Momentum True Wireless from Sennheiser bring enhancements such as Active Noise Cancellation, refined ergonomics and an outstanding 7-hour battery life that can be extended to up to 28 hours by charging on the go using the supplied case.