Anew Apple patentsuggests the company could use an optical audio transmission from VR headsets to AirPods.
Optical audio systems use fiber optic cables and laser light to transmit digital audio signals between two devices.
Apple is among the companies exploring alternatives to Bluetooth for audio.
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“For context, a fast internet connection is considered to be at least 100Mbps.
Better Than Bluetooth?
Apple’s patent (first noted by Patently Apple) is generic, but suggestive.
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The security of Bluetooth is another potential area of concern.
“Though freeing in many ways, wireless technology typically offers relatively slow data transmission rates.”
Optical audio transmission has several advantages over Bluetooth.
The data transfer rates are faster when compared to many other connection types, Ciccarelli said.
Optical audio is also multichannel, meaning it supports 7.1 surround sound or other applications with multiple audio tracks.
“Bluetooth at high quality is a drain on a unit’s battery,” he added.
No Bluetooth?
No Problem
While Bluetooth has its limitations, there are ways to make it sound better.
The $725 Mojo 2 lets you adjust the relative volumes of a tracks different audio frequencies.
Chord, the company behind the Mojo 2, claims that this process doesnt degrade the original audio signal.
One new smart speaker even lets you ditch the headphone altogether.
TheNoveto N1uses facial recognition and other technologies to let you hear private stereo sound without using headphones.
The $800 N1 looks like a miniature soundbar for your desk.
But future versions of Bluetooth may keep the aging technology at the top of its game.
We’ll likely see lower power, multichannel audio, and potentially video over Bluetooth, Duraiswami said.
