Latest news with #BluetoothLEAudio
Phone Arena
09-07-2025
- Phone Arena
One UI 8 keeps it simple and that's the best part
Galaxy Z Flip 7 Galaxy Watch 8 One UI 8 One UI 8 One UI 8 One UI 7 And yep, AI is a big part of the picture One UI 8 Galaxy S25 One UI 7 How do you feel about Samsung's new One UI 8 update? Love the polish – smooth, simple and smart. I'm here for the privacy and security upgrades. AI features sound cool, but I probably won't use them. Meh, feels like a minor update. Need to try it to decide. Love the polish – smooth, simple and smart. 0% I'm here for the privacy and security upgrades. 0% AI features sound cool, but I probably won't use them. 0% Meh, feels like a minor update. 0% Need to try it to decide. 0% There are more fun and handy tools to try Besides improved AI features, One UI 8 also brings in support for Auracast, which uses Bluetooth LE Audio to let multiple devices (like Galaxy Buds 3 or hearing aids) tune into the same audio stream. Setup is as easy as scanning a QR code. Samsung's also improving support at repair centers – thanks to NFC and QR-enabled options tied to your Samsung Account, you won't need to fill out forms. Just scan and go. And for those who love to stay organized, the Reminder app now supports shared to-do lists and easier voice input. Planning a trip? You can manage everything in one spot and even share lists with a tap. Quick Share also gets faster and easier. Now there's a button right in the quick settings menu for instant file sharing. Security takes the spotlight Now this is the part I actually care about: privacy and security. And Samsung isn't messing around with One UI 8 . One of the biggest additions is KEEP (Knox Enhanced Encrypted Protection). This basically gives each app its own locked storage space, so AI features like Call Assist won't leak sensitive data between apps. Your transcripts, summaries, and personal info stay locked down where they belong. . Now, if One UI 8 detects suspicious activity, it can auto-log a device out of your Samsung Account to stop the threat from spreading. Plus, the tech giant upgraded how Secure Wi-Fi uses post-quantum cryptography, which sounds a bit sci-fi, but basically means it's built to hold up even when quantum computers start becoming a thing. That's a serious level of future-proofing. One UI 8 may not reinvent your phone, but it's a solid step forward. The interface is smoother, smarter and better adapted to all types of Galaxy devices. AI features are more deeply integrated than ever and while I personally don't care much about most of those tricks, I have to admit the privacy and security upgrades are legit – and could actually make a difference when choosing your next phone. Whether you're into foldables, flagships or just sticking with what works, One UI 8 brings enough polish to feel fresh – without overdoing it. Besides improved AI features,also brings in support for Auracast, which uses Bluetooth LE Audio to let multiple devices (like Galaxy Buds 3 or hearing aids) tune into the same audio stream. Setup is as easy as scanning a QR also improving support at repair centers – thanks to NFC and QR-enabled options tied to your Samsung Account, you won't need to fill out forms. Just scan and for those who love to stay organized, the Reminder app now supports shared to-do lists and easier voice input. Planning a trip? You can manage everything in one spot and even share lists with a Share also gets faster and easier. Now there's a button right in the quick settings menu for instant file this is the part I actually care about: privacy and security. And Samsung isn't messing around withOne of the biggest additions is KEEP (Knox Enhanced Encrypted Protection). This basically gives each app its own locked storage space, so AI features like Call Assist won't leak sensitive data between apps. Your transcripts, summaries, and personal info stay locked down where they belong. Samsung's also improving its Knox Matrix platform . Now, ifdetects suspicious activity, it can auto-log a device out of your Samsung Account to stop the threat from the tech giant upgraded how Secure Wi-Fi uses post-quantum cryptography, which sounds a bit sci-fi, but basically means it's built to hold up even when quantum computers start becoming a thing. That's a serious level of not reinvent your phone, but it's a solid step forward. The interface is smoother, smarter and better adapted to all types of Galaxy features are more deeply integrated than ever and while I personally don't care much about most of those tricks, I have to admit the privacy and security upgrades are legit – and could actually make a difference when choosing your next you're into foldables, flagships or just sticking with what works,brings enough polish to feel fresh – without overdoing it. And Samsung's getting better at adapting the UI for different form factors. Whether you're using a tablet, a phone or a foldable, the layout now adjusts better to fit the screen, making the most of the space and improving wouldn't be 2025 without AI being front and on the AI tools Samsung introduced with theseries and takes them even now get a more context-aware experience – the AI knows what you're looking at or doing and offers suggestions tailored to your routine. Things like Now Bar and Now Brief offer more personalized reminders and tips throughout the then there's Audio Eraser – a feature that launched inbut has been made way easier to use. Now you can remove background noise from any video you're watching in the Gallery app with just a single tap. No need to jump into editing mode what is even better, Audio Eraser isn't limited to videos anymore – it now works in Samsung Notes and Voice Recorder too, letting you clean up any distracting sounds from your personal a new Dynamic Effect for photos, too – kind of like Live Effect, but now you can swipe to "move" the subject in a 3D-ish way. It's definitely more of a fun, gimmicky thing than a must-have, but hey, could be cool to play with.
Stuff.tv
17-06-2025
- Stuff.tv
These earbuds have a 65-hour battery life, but that's not the best thing about them
Some of the most popular wireless earbuds have exceptional battery life these days. Audio Technica's latest buds have some of the best I've seen, clocking in at 65 hours in total. But that's not the best thing about them. I'm seriously impressed by the ability for the earbuds to magnetically snap to each other and switch off to save juice. Even better, you don't need to fiddle around with an app or any fiddly buttons. It means the earbuds don't just become paperweights if you forget to pack the charging case. In fact, it's the first time I've ever seen a feature like this. Read more: Best cheap headphones in 2025 rated and reviewed Now, about that ridiculous battery life. You get 25 hours from the earbuds themselves, and another 40 from the charging case. Even with noise cancelling turned on, they'll still go for 15 hours in-ear and 25 hours from the case. There's also a 5-minute quick charge that gets you 90 minutes of playback. Sound-wise, Audio-Technica is going for a fully fledged experience. The ATH-CKS50TW2 earbuds pack in custom-designed 9mm drivers that should excel in low-end grunt, while also keeping things crisp up top. They're also waterproof and dustproof, so will survive just about anything you throw at them. You've got your usual suite of features too: hybrid noise cancelling, adjustable transparency modes, beamforming mic for clear calls, and compatibility with Bluetooth LE Audio and the LC3 codec. You can even go low-latency if you're the sort who games on their phone. Available from 17 June 2025, the Audio-Technica ATH-CKS50TW2 earbuds will set you back $149/£125/€149. They come in green or black, and you can order them directly.
Forbes
27-05-2025
- Business
- Forbes
Denon's Latest AH-C840NCW Wireless Earbuds Are Now Shipping
The new wireless earbuds announced by Denon last month are now shipping so I thought I would tell you a little more about these mid-priced earbuds that go up against Apple's AirPods. Since the announcement, Denon has been sold by its owner Masimo to Harman International, along with its stablemates Marantz and B&W. But it's business as usual at one of Japan's oldest and most venerable audio brands. The new Denon AH-C840NCW are true wireless earbuds with silicone ear tips and adaptive hybrid active noise cancellation for a more immersive listening experience. The noise cancelation is Hybrid ANC which automatically adjusts the level of noise cancellation using two microphones in each earpiece to monitor sound. The ANC also has a transparency mode that enables users to stay aware of ambient noise if needed. Adaptive hybrid ANC differs from regular Adaptive ANC. With normal Adaptive ANC, the amount of noise cancellation applied is purely based on surrounding sounds. Hybrid ANC combines both feedforward and feed-backward circuitry to capture and cancel noise across a wider range of frequencies. A full charge of the battery inside the storage case can provide up to 35 hours of playtime before a top-up is necessary. A full charge of the earbuds can yield up to 10 hours of listening time before they need to go back in the case. The earbuds also support wireless charging as well as the usual USB-C. That figure depends on volume levels, the audio codec being used and whether ANC is turned on. With ANC turned on, the earbuds deliver up to seven hours of listening time from a single charge, with up to 24 hours of listening on the go using the charging case. A five-minute burst charge can provide about an hour of listening time. These days, most people rely on their earbuds for making phone calls. It's important to have microphones that can pick up the user's voice. To handle this, Denon uses two mics and noise canceling to filter out some of the ambient sound that the mics would normally pick up. This can enhance call clarity in noisy spaces. Currently, Bluetooth technology is going through a transition with many manufacturers of earbuds and other devices moving to the new Bluetooth LE standard. Bluetooth LE Audio is a power-efficient version of Bluetooth that's designed for low-bandwidth, intermittent data transmission, making it suitable for battery-powered devices, wearables and smart home products. Bluetooth LE consumes less energy than Classic Bluetooth by quickly establishing and terminating connections as well as optimizing small data transfers. What's more, Bluetooth LE Audio supports high-quality, low-power audio streaming with audio codecs like LDAC and LC3. The AH-C840NCW earbuds also support Auracast. This is a new Bluetooth technology that can broadcast to multiple earbuds or speakers. For example, a sports bar might have a TV showing a football game but with the sound off. If the TV supports Auracast, anyone with a pair of Auracast-compatible earbuds or headphones can pick up the audio signal from the TV wirelessly and listen to the ball game commentary without disturbing anyone around them. It's a little like the inductive loops used for hearing aid wearers. As well as supporting Auracast, the Denon AH-C840NCW also have multipoint connectivity which means the earbuds can pair with two Bluetooth devices at once. One device could be a phone for business calls, while the other could be a tablet showing a movie or a digital audio player streaming Tidal. With multipoint, a user can switch seamlessly between two devices. For example, they might be watching a movie on their iPad when an important business call comes in on their smartphone. One press and the user can seamlessly switch to take the call, automatically pausing the movie until the call is ended. To get the most from these new earbuds, Denon has updated its smartphone app which offers customization of the AH-C840NCW. The Denon Headphones app lets the user adjust sound settings, touch controls, manage ANC levels and apply any future firmware updates for optimal performance. Finally, the earbuds support voice assistants like Siri or Google Assistant when connected to a compatible device. They include protection against sweat and water thanks to a waterproof rating of IPX4 which means they are resistant to sweat and water splashes, making them suitable for workouts and outdoor activities. The Denon AH-C840NCW true wireless earbuds are shipping now from Denon's website and through authorized retailers priced at $159 / £159 / €159.
Android Authority
16-05-2025
- Android Authority
Here's an early look at how One UI 8 is revamping Auracast for easier broadcasts
Robert Triggs / Android Authority TL;DR Samsung is updating the Auracast settings page on Galaxy devices in One UI 8. The redesigned settings page, spotted in a leaked firmware build, features visual and usability improvements. This design update could help familiarize users with the feature and make sharing audio easier with a QR code. Samsung Galaxy devices with Bluetooth LE Audio support have a handy feature called Auracast, which lets you broadcast audio to multiple devices with ease. However, not many Galaxy users are familiar with this feature, as it's buried deep within Bluetooth settings. To address this, Samsung is updating the Auracast settings page in One UI 8 with some visual and usability improvements. SammyGuru has spotted the updated Auracast settings page in a leaked build of One UI 8 and shared the following screenshots. It features a new banner highlighting what the feature does with an illustration and has a more prominent 'Start broadcast' button that follows the new One UI 8 design language. One UI 7 Auracast settings One UI 8 Auracast settings One UI 8's Aurcast settings page also has a more obvious visual indicator for when you're actively broadcasting, a slick new animation, and a large button to stop the broadcast. In addition, Samsung is adding an easier way to help others connect to your broadcast by scanning a QR code. One UI 8 Auracast settings One UI 8 Auracast QR Code The QR code button appears on top of the 'Stop broadcast' button, and opens a new page with a QR code that other users can scan to join a broadcast without entering the password. These changes should familiarize more Galaxy users with the Auracast feature and make it easier to start and join broadcasts. Note that the updated design may not be final since this new Auracast settings page was discovered in a leaked One UI 8 build. Samsung might make further changes before One UI 8 hits the stable channel. Got a tip? Talk to us! Email our staff at Email our staff at news@ . You can stay anonymous or get credit for the info, it's your choice.
Android Authority
15-05-2025
- Android Authority
Sony's new flagship headphones automatically use your Pixel's Bluetooth LE Audio
TL;DR Sony's new WH-1000XM6 headphones will use Bluetooth LE Audio by default on Pixel phones with Android 16, no manual activation needed. This is because Google added them to an LE Audio 'allowlist' after testing, unlike most devices where the feature is experimental. Other devices like Samsung's Galaxy Buds 2 Pro & Sony's WF-1000XM5 are also on this list, ensuring automatic LE Audio use. Sony makes some of the best headphones you can buy right now, regardless of whether you're an Android or an Apple user. This week, Sony unveiled the WH-1000XM6, its latest flagship headphones with a significantly faster QN3 processor, improved ANC, superior voice call quality, and other upgrades over its predecessor. Similar to last year's model, the WH-1000XM6 supports LE Audio. However, a small difference is that Pixel phone users will find LE Audio enabled by default, eliminating the need for manual activation. You're reading an Authority Insights story. Discover Authority Insights for more exclusive reports, app teardowns, leaks, and in-depth tech coverage you won't find anywhere else. With the release of Android 13 in 2022, Google introduced support for Bluetooth LE Audio, a new standard enabling audio streaming over a Bluetooth Low Energy connection. Despite a growing number of LE Audio-compatible products on the market, Android still doesn't utilize this standard by default. Instead, users must manually enable LE Audio for each device by navigating to its Bluetooth details page and toggling the 'LE Audio' option. Mishaal Rahman / Android Authority The reason LE Audio requires manual activation lies in its 'experimental' status in Android, as indicated in the toggle's description. This means Google cannot assure users that enabling the feature will be entirely bug-free or stable. Additionally, feature parity with traditional Bluetooth Classic isn't guaranteed; for example, Android only introduced support for spatial audio over Bluetooth LE Audio in its 2024 release. However, Android does enable LE Audio by default for a select list of audio products. For these devices, Google has personally tested and verified full LE Audio compatibility, meaning the feature is not considered 'experimental.' Consequently, the 'experimental' tag is absent from their Bluetooth device details page. Initially, this list featured only the Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Pro. It later expanded to include the Sony WF-1000XM5 in late June 2024 and the Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro in late November 2024. With the latest Android 16 beta, Sony's new WH-1000XM6 headphones also join this list. This means that when connected to a Pixel phone running Android 16, the WH-1000XM6 will automatically use Bluetooth LE Audio by default. Mishaal Rahman / Android Authority The Bluetooth device details page on a Pixel 9 when the Samsung Galaxy Buds2 Pro is connected. Android 16 Beta 4 was released nearly a month ago, meaning the WH-1000XM6 was technically part of Android's LE Audio allowlist even before its official unveiling this week. This isn't particularly surprising, as Sony likely provided Google with pre-release hardware to test the headphones' compatibility with Android features such as LE Audio and Fast Pair. With the WH-1000XM6 now joining this curated list, Pixel phones will automatically use LE Audio by default with the following audio products: SM-R510 (Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Pro) SM-R630 (Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro) WF-1000XM5 WH-1000XM6 G2 (unknown) AG2 (unknown) For other LE Audio-compatible products not on the official allowlist, users must still manually activate the feature via the Bluetooth device details page. However, a developer option provides a workaround to use LE Audio by default, even if a specific device isn't on Google's pre-approved list. To do this, navigate to Settings > System > Developer options and toggle 'Bypass Bluetooth LE Audio Allowlist.' Once enabled, Android will attempt to use LE Audio with any connected audio product that supports the standard. Got a tip? Talk to us! Email our staff at Email our staff at news@ . You can stay anonymous or get credit for the info, it's your choice.
