This Unconventional Speaker Gives Smartwatches a More Spacious Interior

Yahoo

15-05-2025

Audio manufacturer xMEMS just introduced Sycamore-W, a solid-state speaker designed for smartwatches. With a footprint approximately 70% smaller than that of a conventional speaker, Sycamore-W will free up space inside of smartwatches, leaving more room for sensors, batteries, and other components.
I began covering xMEMS when the company's Cypress driver was introduced in 2023. It was an exciting departure from the magnetic coil and cone speaker design that we've used for the last 100-ish years—not only did Sycamore boast a crazy 1mm-thin profile, but it supposedly outperformed conventional speakers in the 5kHz range and offered a super-accurate transient response. This solid-state speaker, which looked like a computer chip (it's on a silicon die), had the potential to improve earbud and headphone audio quality. However, it lacked bass response and had to be paired with a conventional full-range driver or woofer (a technique that brands like Creative have since used to great effect).
The original Sycamore speaker debuted about a year after Cypress. Its full-range, open-air design made it an interesting option for wearable devices like smartwatches and smart glasses, which tend to be crammed full of various components due to their small and somewhat awkward size. I got some hands-on time with the Sycamore chip and some hacked-together prototype devices at CES 2025, and the benefits offered by the tech were plainly obvious. I'd gladly have it in a smartwatch.
"Sycamore-W is engineered specifically for the unique demands of wrist-based wearables. Its 4mm wide x 1mm thin profile minimizes incursion into the watch cavity, enabling designers with the space to integrate more biometric sensors and larger batteries. Compared to legacy coil speakers that are typically 3 to 4mm thick and weigh up to 3 grams, Sycamore-W's 150mg weight dramatically reduces strain and enhances comfort, both of which are key considerations for wearable devices."
But the Sycamore's square shape has (evidently) limited its usefulness in the real world. It's a fine shape for the Apple Watch—check the image at the top of this article to see what I mean—but it's too tall for a smartwatch or fitness tracker with a narrow enclosure. That's why xMEMS is launching the Sycamore-W, which is essentially just an elongated version of the original Sycamore driver. While the original design measured about 9mm tall and 8.5mm wide, this new unit is 4mm wide and 1mm tall.
Functionally, the Sycamore-W appears to be identical to the standard Sycamore. It sports the same IP58 dust and water-resistance rating and boasts "superior audio performance" with zero phase delay. I assume that there are minor differences in output volume and bass response, but xMEMS hasn't mentioned any differences.
Select brands can now order samples of the xMEMS Sycamore, with volume production and sales planned for mid-2026. Interestingly, xMEMS says that it's preparing to announce additional "Sycamore family variants" later this year. These variants will focus on other device categories, presumably things like VR headsets and AR glasses.
Source: xMEMS