The first developer preview for Android O is out and it brings with it a bunch of audio enhancements to improve your wireless listening experience.
Android O, tipped to be called Android Oreo, has made its first appearance in the form of a developer preview. The first preview build of the upcoming Android operating system brings with it a whole host of improvements in battery life and notifications, along with feature additions such as picture-in-picture mode, adaptive icons, XML font support, and many more little tweaks.
In addition to all this, Android O is also set to improve the wireless audio experience for those who use Bluetooth headphones and speakers. We hear these enhancements are a result of Google’s partnership with Sony Mobile and Qualcomm. A spokesperson from Google told The Verge that Android O includes more than 30 feature enhancements and 250 bug fixes provided by Sony Mobile. The Japanese multinational has contributed an advanced LDAC codec for Android O’s Bluetooth support. The LDAC codec has the ability to facilitate transfers of up to 990 kbps of data, thereby making for a much better audio experience on Bluetooth devices.
The rights to the LDAC technology are owned by Sony Mobile. Unlike traditional codecs like SBC, LDAC operates without any down-conversion of Hi-res audio. Sony claims it provides 3X data transmission compared to current SBC technology. Smartphones like the Sony Xperia XZ, Xperia XZ Premium already carry LDAC support. Sony also has a range of headphones including the MDR-Z1R and the MDR-1000X, that support this Hi-res audio codec.
The catch with Android O adding support for the LDAC codec is that smartphone makers as well as Bluetooth headset manufacturers will have to license the tech from Sony, in order to make their devices compatible with the new feature.
As far as Qualcomm’s contribution to Android O’s wireless audio enhancements is concerned, the new build will add support for Qualcomm’s aptX and aptX-HD protocols. AptX HD enables 24-bit music quality over a Bluetooth wireless connection. It is also known to enhance audio performance, even when applied to standard resolution content.
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