While Qualcomm is usually known for its mobile phone processors, it’s no secret that the Sand Diego-based company also pushes a lot of research and development into other modern smart technologies. As such, Qualcomm recently unveiled its newest addition to the Qualcomm S3 Gen 2 sound platform, which it says is designed for optimal use during gaming, and allows for compatibility with Auracast Audio.
Qualcomm says that the newly-expanded S3 Sound platform portfolio combines Snapdragon Sound and low-energy audio for improved low latency, measuring up to less than 20ms for reduced lag for gaming sessions and in-game chat.
As mentioned earlier, the platform will also come with support for LE Audio AuracastTM broadcast capabilities for adapters and equipment, which can tap into devices such as phones, computers, and smart TVs and transform them into broadcast platforms. There’s also 24-bit 96kHz high-resolution Bluetooth streaming via Snapdragon Sound and Qualcomm’s aptXTM Adaptive audio technology. Mike Canevaro, director, marketing, and head of Snapdragon Sound at Qualcomm states:
“With every generation of Snapdragon Sound, we have driven down latencies and improved audio quality, and with this latest addition to our Qualcomm S3 Gen 2 Sound portfolio, we are providing our best wireless gaming experience yet. We know from our annual State of Sound survey that consumers want lag-free audio for gaming, but until now this immersive wireless audio experience has been reserved for proprietary gaming solutions. This new platform has been optimized to deliver an ultra-low latency experience for gaming over Bluetooth with Snapdragon Sound, but it also means the same devices can be used for calls and ultra-premium music listening.”
Canevaro added that Qualcomm’s research showed “huge consumer anticipation” for different audio sharing use cases, which will be made possible via Auracast Broadcast. This allows users to share their audio with multiple other listeners, friends and family through smart devices and computers, as well as wirelessly streamed Auracast audio in public places. Developers can also use the new platform to design dongles and adaptors for better device compatibility with Auracast Broadcast Audio.
As for gaming purposes, Qualcomm says that the solution is optimized for adapters used in audio sources. When paired with Qualcomm S5 and S3 Gen 2 based earbuds and headsets, it can provide users with “robust connectivity and dynamic latency” adaption based on the external RF environment.
