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ZDNET Highlights
- Bluetooth SIG is preparing for lossless and spatial audio formats.
- Standardization reduces proprietary requirements and licensing fees.
- These formats are not likely to emerge until the next decade.
Wireless headphones and speakers are staples in our tech arsenal, but Bluetooth audio transmission has one major drawback: lossy playback. For those who enjoy high-resolution audio, Bluetooth is not an option. However, the Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG) is working on Many wireless audio innovationsIncluding standardized wireless lossless audio, spatial audio and surround sound.
How can Bluetooth standardize lossless audio?
Bluetooth’s default codec is SBC, which offers the lowest audio quality and prioritizes connection stability. Other codecs, such as LDAC, AAC, and aptX, provide more data transmission and can provide nearly lossless quality. The point is that these codecs are not standard; AAC on Android may be incompatible, and manufacturers have to pay licensing fees for the LDAC and aptX codecs.
Thus, Bluetooth SIG aims to enhance its LE Audio Bluetooth radios to support hi-res and lossless audio through high data throughput, thereby standardizing the technology across brands and manufacturers.
Also: What is Bluetooth 6.0? How the latest standard fixes the audio problems we’ve learned to live with
A digital audio file is considered lossless when fidelity is preserved, and the song retains all the original audio details. Lossless audio files are larger, require higher data transfer rates, and use more processing power. Therefore, lossless audio files are not compatible with current Bluetooth bandwidth standards.
Your wireless audio files are lossy, meaning some audio quality is lost in transmission. Audio files streamed via Bluetooth must be compressed to be compatible, which reduces audio quality. However, due to better sampling and bit-rate thresholds, some Bluetooth codecs provide better audio quality than others.
How can Bluetooth standardize spatial audio?
LE Audio also includes a framework for multi-channel audio playback, which is the foundation of spatial audio. The LC3 codec is at the heart of LE Audio and supports high bandwidth, low latency and independent audio streams, enabling data transmission for 3D audio, precise timing and spatial imaging.
Also: I talked to Bluetooth representatives about the future of connected audio, and it’s cooler than I expected
Bluetooth also supports the open-source LE audio protocol for head tracking, as seen in Google’s Dynamic Spatial Audio. There is still work to be done to improve the bandwidth of Bluetooth to ensure that a standardized version of Spatial Audio can compete with the proprietary versions preferred by manufacturers and consumers, such as Dolby Atmos and DTS:X.
When can you expect these features?
Bluetooth SIG follows a biennial release schedule, meaning that major specification upgrades are released twice a year. Although Bluetooth SIG is rapidly releasing core updates, manufacturer optimization is generally slow. For example, Bluetooth Auracast, a standardized audio-sharing technology, was introduced to the market in 2022. However, widespread adoption accelerated in mid-2025, with more products expected in 2026.
Also: Microsoft’s new Windows 11 Bluetooth update comes with useful benefits (and one major warning)
Although a Bluetooth-enabled device may be equipped with the latest Bluetooth version, that capability does not mean it supports the latest wireless innovations. Device manufacturers may decide to remove essential hardware and software, leaving your device devoid of desired features.
Nevertheless, standardized lossless and spatial audio are ongoing projects, with no details published yet by the Bluetooth SIG. Therefore, I would not expect these features to come to market until the end of the next decade.
