Exploration of the Wireless Headphones Market: What's Next After Reaching the Apex?
In the ever-evolving world of technology, wireless headphones continue to push boundaries, offering improved sound quality, battery efficiency, and user convenience. Here's a roundup of recent releases and a glimpse into the future of this exciting industry.
Lenbrook, parent company of NAD Electronics, PSB Speakers, Bluesound, and the BluOS multiroom platform, currently owns the SCL6 technology. This technology, while details remain scarce, is expected to play a significant role in the advancement of wireless audio.
Bose has recently announced the second generation of their QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds, following the footsteps of their predecessors who received a glowing five-star review. The new model boasts tweaks to the DSP, improved sound quality, ANC prowess, and call quality. Despite these enhancements, the design of the QC model remains largely unchanged.
A new player in the market, Nothing, has introduced the Nothing Headphone (1) with a transparent design. Their first over-ear headphones are said to have impressive battery life and are tuned by KEF, a renowned hi-fi manufacturer.
Sony has launched their WH-1000XM6 wireless headphones in May, which underwent a decent-sized design change but primarily repackaged a previous design. Meanwhile, Sonos has entered the fray with the Sonos Ace over-ears, which can switch seamlessly from a Sonos soundbar to the headphones and boast a TrueCinema calibration feature for a more immersive experience.
As the market becomes increasingly saturated with premium wireless headphones, the bar for audio quality is being raised. The best wireless headphones, such as the Focal Bathys MG, should be capable of handling higher quality wireless audio than aptX Adaptive.
Looking ahead, future wireless headphones will likely move beyond Bluetooth. Emerging advancements include Bluetooth LE Audio Enhancements, MEMS Speakers and Lossless Wi-Fi Audio, Solar Charging and Sustainable Power, Over-the-Counter (OTC) Hearing Aid Integration, Advanced Noise Cancellation and AI Voice Pickup, and Spatial and Immersive Audio Features. These innovations aim to improve audio quality, battery efficiency, user convenience, and accessibility beyond current Bluetooth capabilities.
The Xiaomi Buds 5 Pro, Wi-Fi-enabled wireless headphones, are already embodying some of these advancements, using Qualcomm's Expanded Personal Area Network (XPAN) for 24-bit/96kHz lossless audio. However, they currently only work with Xiaomi 15 and 15 Ultra smartphones.
Despite rumours of Wi-Fi headphones, Sonos instead released the Sonos Ace over-ears with average sound quality. Nevertheless, the future of wireless audio is promising, with advancements like the scalable codec SCL6, developed by the minds behind MQA, potentially improving wireless audio significantly.
As we step into the future, it's clear that wireless headphones are poised to deliver even more spectacular audio experiences, offering listeners a truly immersive and personalised audio journey.
- The latest releases in the wireless headphone industry showcase ongoing advancements, with Lenbrook's SCL6 technology expected to play a significant role in the future of wireless audio.
- Bose's QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds' second generation has been announced, featuring improved sound quality, ANC prowess, and call quality over their predecessors.
- Nothing, a new manufacturer, has entered the market with the Nothing Headphone (1), claimed to have impressive battery life and tuned by KEF, a well-known hi-fi brand.
- Sony's WH-1000XM6 wireless headphones and Sonos Ace over-ears are recent additions to the market, demonstrating the increasing competition amongst premium brands in the wireless headphone sector.
- Future wireless headphones are likely to surpass Bluetooth capabilities with advancements like Bluetooth LE Audio Enhancements, MEMS Speakers, Lossless Wi-Fi Audio, and Spatial and Immersive Audio Features.
