Packetcraft's comprehensive software solution for LE Audio features Packetcraft Host, a Bluetooth 5.3 host stack with profiles for LE Audio, Packetcraft Controller, a Bluetooth 5.3 link layer with isochronous channels, and Packetcraft LC3 codec for LE Audio, the new audio codec that can operate at half the data rate resulting in less power draw.
"With significant improvements and new features, LE Audio expands the market potential for standardized high-quality wireless audio and Packetcraft is helping accelerate product introductions and software refreshes for our customers and partners," says John Yi, Co-Founder and CEO of Packetcraft. "Our team is excited to be on the cutting-edge of technology and that our innovative solutions can profoundly improve human interactions."
Since Bluetooth's debut in 1998, audio has been the predominant application and in 2020 device shipments for audio streaming were more than 1.1 billion. For more than a decade, Bluetooth LE has had a profound impact on IoT applications and its expansion now to address audio is a major milestone for both the technology and products.
"Bluetooth Classic Audio has been stretched to its limits and proprietary extensions are often used to improve audio fidelity and to support an evolving set of use cases beyond what point-to-point single-stream communications allows for," says Phil Solis, research director at IDC. "LE Audio improves the audio experience on Bluetooth-enabled devices we use today and will expand the market with new applications that will enhance how we interact with audio sources. LE Audio capabilities will have an increasing role in Bluetooth devices that will ship over 5 billion per year by 2025."
Aside from the impressive new LC3 audio codec, LE Audio supports multiple streams that are highly synchronized allowing for source devices to communicate directly to multiple speakers (e.g., left and right) delivering stereo sound that enables a standardized approach to truly wireless earbuds.
The Bluetooth SIG announcement of Auracast broadcast audio adds an unprecedented new capability provided in LE Audio for sharing audio with nearby listeners. This includes the ability to invite others to simultaneously share a personal audio stream as well as for venues to deliver audio directly to earbuds when watching a muted restaurant/bar or gym television, enjoying a movie at the cinema with high quality sound coming directly into advanced hearing aids, or receiving an airport public announcement broadcasted privately in the preferred language.
According to Packetcraft, companies interested in refreshing existing products via over-the-air updates and/or developing new solutions are welcome to inquire about software licensing. System designers interested in evaluating streaming audio with an LC3 codec can purchase Packetcraft's audio evaluation kit from packetcraft.com/shop. The kit comes with sample applications for a wireless microphone, full duplex audio intercom, and broadcast stereo headphones.
www.packetcraft.com
