After the WWDC 2022 keynote, Apple also made a beta available for the AirPods firmware. Apple made no announcements about this, but it is bringing some improvements. The discovery brought to light today is well worth the effort for fans of good audio quality. It promises a lot for new AirPods.
AirPods Max and AirPods Pro 2 with LC3 Bluetooth codec
The Dutch George installed the beta firmware on his AirPods Max. He tweeted that he has activated a new Bluetooth codec called LC3 on firmware version 5A282B. However, this codec cannot yet show its true powers on the current AirPods Max.
AirPods Max on 5A282B pic.twitter.com/ufbdFDwaYD
— George (@marajobsession) June 17, 2022
LC3 stands for Low Complexity Communication Codec and it will come to AirPods in the future. This allows wireless audio accessories such as AirPods to transmit a lower bitrate without degrading the sound quality, as is the case with the current Bluetooth codec.
To use all the functionalities, you need support for Bluetooth 5.2, which the AirPods Max does not have. On this accessory, LC3 can only make phone calls sound better. None of the AirPods currently sold support Bluetooth 5.2.
What does LC3 mean for AirPods Pro 2?
Although this feature has been activated for AirPods Max, it is a clear hint to the upcoming AirPods Pro 2. If we are to believe the AirPods Pro 2 rumors, this accessory will get a new version of the H1 chip. This would include support for Bluetooth 5.2. This makes it possible to fully utilize LC3.
It is not yet known which functions will come to the AirPods Pro 2 thanks to LC3. Whether the music will also be Lossless remains to be seen. According to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, the sound quality of the new AirPods is significantly improved. We think it is plausible that Apple is working on improved sound quality. Earlier, Apple's audio expert already revealed that Bluetooth has too many limitations. He hinted that this will get better in the future.
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