Qualcomm announces S3 Gen 2 Sound: How it’s good news for TWS earbuds

Qualcomm has unveiled a new wireless audio solution for gaming with ultra-low latency and high-res sound.

Qualcomm S3 Gen 2 uses Bluetooth LE and Snapdragon Sound technologies. (Image: Qualcomm)

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Qualcomm has announced a new addition to its S3 Gen 2 Sound platform portfolio, a wireless audio solution tailored for gaming, designed to be used in dongles and adapters.

The platform leverages Snapdragon Sound, a suite of technologies and software that enables seamless audio streaming from smartphones to wireless earbuds, and LE audio, a Bluetooth standard that supports low-energy and high-quality sound. Together, they deliver ultra-low latency wireless audio of less than 20ms, ensuring minimal voice lag when gaming online.

In addition to the enhanced gaming capabilities, the S3 Gen 2 solution leverages Qualcomm aptX Adaptive audio technology, which allows high-resolution Bluetooth streaming of music at 24-bit 96kHz. The lossless audio quality is accompanied by crystal clear voice calls with support for 32kHz super wideband and advanced noise cancellation technology.

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The platform also leverages the latest Auracast technology, a broadcasting standard that uses Bluetooth LE Audio. This enables devices such as TVs, phones, PCs and consoles to cast audio to an unlimited number of nearby listeners using dongles and adapters. The technology can serve various purposes, such as providing assistive listening at public venues, delivering announcements or sharing music with friends in the vicinity.

Lastly, the S3 Gen 2 platform features an Adaptive Transparency mode, allowing smooth transitions between noise-cancelling and ambient sound for situational awareness.

Qualcomm is yet to announce specific devices where we’ll see the extended platform, but the unveiling suggests that compatible accessories are on the horizon.