旋转设备
Telink Staff
December 23, 2024
Standards
The audio end market is transitioning to Bluetooth® LE. Here’s how device makers can make the switch smoothly.
Bluetooth® Classic has long been a staple of the audio market and isn’t going away anytime soon. However, as the audio market expands into new use cases, Bluetooth Classic is encountering limitations that newer technologies are overcoming. Let’s take a look at why markets are making the switch from Bluetooth Classic to Bluetooth® Low Energy (LE) Audio — and why dual-mode is an effective way for audio developers to combine these two technologies while this evolution continues.
Over the past two decades, Bluetooth has rapidly become one of the most recognizable brands in audio technology. Smartphones are universally equipped with Bluetooth capabilities, which allow users to connect audio devices remotely to source technologies. In fact, the Bluetooth® SIG estimates that over 7 billion Bluetooth devices will ship annually by 2027, reflecting steady growth.
Bluetooth isn’t just for wireless speakers anymore — audio providers are pushing Bluetooth capabilities into new and diverse use cases. For example, hearing aids powered by Bluetooth LE Audio provide enhanced accessibility, while fitness trackers and VR headsets integrate advanced audio streaming for immersive experiences. From TWS wireless earbuds to hearing aids and hearables, the market for increasingly sophisticated Bluetooth devices continues to expand. Additionally, with the rise of features like spatial audio, AuracastTM broadcast audio, and multi-stream capabilities, consumer expectations for smaller, more versatile wireless audio devices are growing rapidly.
In this dynamic audio market, the success of Bluetooth has rested on its ability to find new solutions to old problems. That’s where Bluetooth LE comes in.
Bluetooth Classic continues to be a highly effective audio tool for devices ranging from earbuds to speakers and hearing aids. Despite its enduring popularity, Bluetooth Classic faces some limitations that can reduce its effectiveness in newer audio environments. For example, Bluetooth Classic has traditionally consumed energy at a high rate, keeping functionalities to just a few hours of use before needing to recharge. Bluetooth Classic is also notoriously slow in switching between different formats, like moving from audio streaming to a voice application.
Thanks to advancements in low-energy technology, audio manufacturers have been (and continue to) rapidly shift to Bluetooth LE as a more sustainable, flexible option. That’s because Bluetooth LE includes innovative features such as:
With these advancements, Bluetooth LE expands possibilities for developers and end users, with multi-user streaming, smooth handover between applications, and energy efficiency for long-term usage.
Despite the promise Bluetooth LE brings, plenty of new devices continue to use Bluetooth Classic. Bluetooth Classic remains a reliable solution for audio streaming and benefits from widespread compatibility with existing smartphones and other platforms. During this period of evolution, Bluetooth dual-mode technology has emerged as a strategic bridge between legacy systems and next-gen capabilities, allowing manufacturers to use both Bluetooth Classic and Bluetooth LE protocols simultaneously.
In today’s shifting audio market, product developers can benefit from this dual solution. Vendors can optimize use cases by deploying a dual-mode SoC that can offer either Bluetooth Classic or Bluetooth LE capabilities as needed. Telink makes Bluetooth dual-mode easy with our TLSR951x system-on-a-chip, which offers ultra-low power consumption, faster switching between audio streams, and support for the latest Bluetooth features and protocols. Supporting both Bluetooth Classic and Bluetooth LE Audio, the TLSR951x delivers exceptional performance for advanced use cases, including today’s booming market for AuracastTM devices.
As the audio market continues to evolve, product designers need technology that seamlessly bridges today’s solutions with tomorrow’s advancements. Telink’s dual-mode SoC is designed to meet this need, ensuring that you can harness the power of both Bluetooth Classic and Bluetooth LE Audio to maintain a competitive edge.
Our solutions are certified for complete Bluetooth LE Audio compatibility and optimized for the latest Bluetooth Core Specifications, including versions 5.3 and 6.0. This means that whether you're developing devices for legacy systems or cutting-edge applications, Telink is committed to helping you meet consumer expectations and future-proof your audio designs.
In line with this commitment, Telink has recently introduced the TL751X, an innovative audio SoC that exemplifies high performance, multi-protocol support, and a highly integrated wireless audio solution. The TL751X series supports 24-bit/768 kHz decoding, providing users with an exceptional audio experience. We have also enhanced RF sensitivity and transmission power compared to previous generations of audio chips, ensuring greater stability and efficiency in audio transmission.
The TL751X is compatible with a diverse range of protocols, including 2.4G, Bluetooth, and BLE/LE audio, with a particular emphasis on multi-mode online and low-latency performance. It also supports Bluetooth 5.4 and subsequent versions, as well as emerging protocols such as Mesh, Thread, 802.15.4, Zigbee 3.1, HomeKit, and Matter. These advancements solidify Telink's leading position within the industry, especially in the realms of Matter and channel sounding.
Beyond its high performance and comprehensive protocol support, the TL751X boasts a highly integrated design. The chip series features a 3-core processor architecture, including two RISC-V cores and one HiFi5 DSP, operating at a maximum main frequency of 300 MHz. This architecture delivers powerful processing capabilities and offers a high degree of flexibility for customization and optimization by customers. Both the RISC-V cores and the HiFi5 DSP are accessible for customer use, allowing for tailored solutions.
Furthermore, the TL751X offers an extensive array of peripheral interfaces, with an increase in both type and quantity. Notably, the I2S interface has expanded from one to three, and it also supports various interfaces, including SPDIF and EMMC, catering to a wide range of application requirements.
Building on our advanced multimode online and Bluetooth technology, Telink's audio chip products have been extensively integrated into a diverse range of wireless connectivity devices, such as soundbars, true wireless stereo (TWS) gaming headsets, over-ear gaming headphones, wireless lapel microphones, karaoke microphones, walkie-talkies, and gaming controllers. The recently launched audio products not only demonstrate enhanced performance, reduced power consumption, and lower latency but also offer brands greater development flexibility and significantly improve the user experience of end products.
Visit Telink’s wiki to learn more about our development tool, or contact us directly today.
