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ZDNET’s key takeaways

• If Apple enables LE Audio on its devices, it would bring several improvements.
• They already have the necessary hardware to support LE Audio.
• Even if Apple greenlights LE Audio, don’t count on it supporting Auracast.

On the docket for this year’s Apple Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC), are a potentially more capable, conversational Siri and anticipation of this fall’s iOS big update. Though hardware announcements are more robust in the fall, Apple analyst Mark Gurman asserted that Apple was working on a new AirPods model with integrated cameras to feed environmental images to Siri.

Also: If Samsung’s Galaxy Buds 4 bore you, I hope you’re ready for camera-equipped earbuds

Though integrated infrared cameras open a world of possibilities for increased earbud capabilities, there’s one small AirPods upgrade I’m more interested in: LE Audio. Apple’s current AirPods lineup, AirPods Max 2, AirPods Pro 3, and AirPods 4, all have the basic hardware for LE Audio; all that’s missing is for Apple to pull the lever and enable it via over-the-air firmware update.

LE Audio in AirPods would deliver improved battery life, lower latency, standardized latency and audio quality, and better performance for hearing aids.

Choosing preferred codecs

In a perfect world, Apple would enable LE Audio on its source devices (iPhone, Mac, iPad) and receivers (AirPods), and allow consumers to toggle between AAC and LC3 within a device’s Bluetooth settings. Apple prefers the AAC Bluetooth codec and specifically optimized it for Apple devices when the iTunes Store launched in 2003.

Thus, it’s built on older technologies from Classic radio, and it is power-intensive. If you’ve ever connected non-Apple headphones to an Apple source device, you’ll notice that the headphones’ battery drains faster.

In this case, having the option to enable LC3 in the Apple-branded device’s Bluetooth settings would make a difference. Users could experience audio quality comparable to Apple’s AAC codec, with ultra-low latency and efficient power consumption.

Apple users often connect non-Apple headphones and hearing aids to their Macs, iPads, or iPhones, and the power consumption of those third-party headphones while streaming AAC is not optimized as it is with Apple’s AirPods. As a result, users can experience battery drain.

Also: I connected a Bluetooth Auracast receiver to my TV, and it’s a worthwhile home audio upgrade

The opposite is also true: for AirPods users with third-party tablets or computers, enabling the LC3 codec would deliver improved audio quality, ultra-low latency, and more stable connections. Though AAC is widely adopted, Apple’s audio signal encoding is of much higher quality and more reliable than that of other manufacturers. 

SBC is the standardized, royalty-free Bluetooth codec that all Bluetooth-enabled devices must support, while AAC is optional but widely adopted. Apple chose AAC because of its higher audio quality. LE Audio replaces SBC with LC3.

Don’t bet on Auracast

Due to Apple’s penchant for a walled-garden ecosystem, Apple may choose to omit certain LE Audio features and keep proprietary alternatives within its ecosystem.

I’ve had several conversations with the Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG), the organization that oversees development of Bluetooth technologies. What’s always stuck with me after these conversations is that it’s up to manufacturers to decide which Bluetooth features are implemented in a Bluetooth-enabled device.

Also: I spoke with Bluetooth reps about the future of connected audio, and it’s cooler than I expected

So even if Apple enabled LE Audio on its devices, it could still choose to omit some features, such as Auracast. Instead, Apple would keep its proprietary audio-sharing feature exclusive to AirPods and Beats users. Apple’s devices already use Bluetooth Low Energy radio for proximity sensing and audio synchronization when sharing audio.

As years pass and society becomes a web of interconnected devices, Apple has been more open to adopting standardized technology features, even if begrudgingly. Encrypted RCS messaging and universal USB-C ports became the standard for manufacturers and ecosystems, and over time, Apple accepted them. Hopefully, LE Audio is next.