Key Takeaways
- Qualcomm’s new audio platforms bring improved Wi-Fi streaming capabilities, enhancing range and enabling lossless audio.
- Apple is leading the charge in embracing spatial audio, urging artists and record labels to adopt the technology.
- Qi2 wireless charging, compatible with both Apple and Android devices, is set to revolutionize the charging speed for headphones and earbuds.
In 2023, we were treated to a plethora of new headphones and earbuds releases. Among the noteworthy mentions are Bose’s latest flagship QuietComfort Ultra headphones and earbuds, Beats unveiling the much-anticipated successor to their Studio range with the Studio Pro headphones, and Bowers & Wilkins treating everyone to an improved version of the highly acclaimed Px7 S2 headphones, now named Px7 S2e.
Not only were we treated to fantastic products, but there were some serious developments in audio technology, including more companies implementing spatial audio. Additionally, there were improvements in Bluetooth codecs, more effective and faster wireless charging, and increasingly better adaptive ANC, to name just a few.
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So, with 2023 in the rearview mirror, what do audiophiles like myself have to look forward to in 2024? With companies like Apple and Sonos teasing new products and refinements in wireless streaming and charging, it’s shaping up to be an exciting year. With a few weeks in to 2024 and more to come, let’s take a look at the top five headphone trends to listen for this year.
1 Bluetooth out, and Qualcomm’s micropower Wi-Fi in?
Qualcomm is no stranger to the tech world. The Californian company has produced some of the most powerful smartphone chips and modems on the market. For instance, Samsung’s upcoming flagship smartphone, the Galaxy S24, will leverage Qualcomm’s technology.
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And while there’s no denying that the company is well-versed in the realm of powerful components, Qualcomm also produces diminutive chips that are commonly found in headphones and earbuds.
It’s in this realm that Qualcomm is starting to shake things up.
Designed specifically for headphones, earbuds and speakers, Qualcomm’s new S7 and S7 Pro audio platforms promise consumers it will ‘ignite a new era of audio and innovation.’ The new audio platforms will see improvements to features like Active Noise Cancelation, but the most important upgrade for audiophiles is the Wi-Fi streaming capabilities.
The S7 Pro incorporates micro-power Wi-Fi, offering two significant advantages. The first being that it considerably enhances the range between the headphones and the source device and enables true lossless audio.
By bypassing the data bandwidth limitations imposed by other wireless transmission technologies, such as Bluetooth, Wi-Fi connectivity at micro-power can potentially allow users to “walk around a home, building, or campus while listening to music or making calls,” Qualcomm says. With the S7 Pro platform, Qualcomm promises consumers can enjoy their favorite album with a resolution as high as 192kHz in multichannel lossless music streaming.
Qualcomm
Second, Qualcomm says its XPAN technology works better with AI to drastically improve spatial audio, which would be ideal for gaming, streaming, and casual listening. With all of this promise, it’s shaping up to be a good year for those who love ultra-high-quality audio streaming.
2 Spatial Audio gets even bigger…and Apple is leading the charge
While impressive, spatial audio’s (lower case) immersive audio technology is often hit-and-miss. This inconsistency is largely due to most music, up until the past few years, being mixed in stereo. Mixed in stereo essentially results in a 2D music platform, and therefore, the resulting perception is delivered through a clear “left” or “right” speaker.
Spatial audio, however, introduces a third dimension, and the resulting audio has a more “all around” feel, like the vocals and instruments surround you somewhat as if you were in the concert hall. You may also notice the 3D difference when streaming podcasts or TV shows and the audio seems to “follow you” even if you turn your head rather than pointedly coming from one speaker or the other.
Alternatively, if a song has been mixed in stereo, it’s not going to translate to spatial audio on your headphones very well, which poses an audio conundrum, and Apple seems to be going all-in to “resolve” it.
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Apple — having its own Spatial Audio (capitalized) — has boldly and fully embraced its 3D sound by actively urging artists and record labels to adopt Spatial Audio in their mixing and music releases. Apple has even promised increased exposure, enhancing their visibility in search results, according to a December 2023 Bloomberg report. With a larger incentive for artists, there may even be a resurgence of re-recorded music, and of course, new music with Spatial Audio. With this in mind, 2024 is poised to become the defining year for Apple’s Spatial Audio.
Additionally, Bose notably went further in on spatial audio in 2023, and it’s likely to continue to become a bigger part of all audio interfaces, not just Apple’s platform.
3 Qi2 wireless charging coming to audio devices
In early 2023, the Wireless Power Consortium introduced a faster, safer and widely compatible new standard, Qi2. Taking inspiration from MagSafe, Qi2 offers improved charging statistics due to the Magnetic Power Profile (MPP). It works largely the same, by aligning the induction coils in the charging base and phone, ensuring the perfect connection for optimum energy transfer. However, unlike MagSafe, Qi2 is compatible with a range of different operating systems and devices, such as Android.
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Unlike MagSafe, Qi2 isn’t playing favorites — it shakes hands with both Apple and Android devices. Fast-forward to 2024, and Qi2 is crashing the headphone and earbud scene. Big shots like Bose, Apple, Google, and Samsung are gearing up to sprinkle some Qi2 magic into their audio gadgets. No more twiddling your thumbs while your headphones take forever to juice up — we predict Qi2 is about to make waiting a thing of the past.
4 Neurotechnology enters the headphone scene
At the end of 2023, Master & Dynamic gained a lot of attention by introducing a technology never before used with headphones, neurotechnology. Most commonly employed in the medical field and in collaboration with the neuroscience company Neurable, the MW75 headphones (MW75 Neurable) are set to feature this cutting-edge technology.
These headphones are designed to measure brain waves to monitor for signs of stress and to determine the users peak focus time. These headphones not only track your work sessions but also provide a detailed analysis of your brain waves, highlighting everything from your peak focus times to moments of stress. Additionally, they offer recommendations on when it might be beneficial for the wearer to take a break.
Master & Dynamic/Neurable
Also, whilst working, if the technology notices you are deeply concentrating, it’ll automatically turn your phone on silent mode and activate ANC. The MW75s are getting some buzz for being the first-ever audio gear to work as a brain-computer interface and are likely to receive heaps of attention for this innovative design.
5 Are we likely to see Sonos headphones for the first time?
A big rumor for 2024 that’s getting a lot of sound anoba is the long-awaited release of Sonos headphones. There have been rumblings of Sonos headphones for years, and after an information leak, it’s likely that consumers will see Sonos headphones as early as spring 2024. Reports are suggesting that the headphones are likely to be priced to compete with Bose’s QuietComfort Ultra headphones and Sony’s WH-1000XM5 headphones. Although some technical aspects are still uncertain at this moment, the headphones are expected to sync with a multitude of different Sonos speakers and support Sonos Voice Control.
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The new headphones are expected to come in two colours and connect to existing Sonos gear.
Rumors also suggest that Sonos is looking to release an accompanying set of earbuds to compete with Apple and Samsung, so there’s a lot to look forward to. Adding weight to these rumors are Sonos’ recent company acquisitions. In 2022, the audio brand purchased Kentucky-based startup T2 Software, who specialize in Bluetooth LE Audio.
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Also that year, Sonos purchased a majority stake in Origin North Ltd., a small but well-received audio company that specializes in high-end noise-canceling headphones. Should the rumors prove accurate, 2024 might just be the year when Sonos headphones make their long-awaited debut.
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