Finally, something new that’s not just another expensive phone! The latest rumbling from Rumor Town is that Samsung has filed a patent for earbuds that transmit audio via Ultra-Wideband (UWB). Yes, that same UWB that helps cars unlock and the AirTags find their owners also be used for audio transmission. Could Bluetooth be on the way out of Samsung’s world?
91mobiles, a believe-it-or-not-trusted source that’s been on the money plenty of times before, unearthed this Samsung patent published this week with the U.S. Patent and Trade Office (USTPO). The patent is for earbuds that transmit audio using UWB. Bluetooth will remain a part of the equation since it’s necessary to establish the connection and pair devices. But once the second earbud connects, the device knows to switch to UWB for all the audio data processing magic once both ears are plugged in.
Samsung constantly files patents for its research and development labs to stay ahead of the competition, which might be developing similar technologies behind the scenes. However, these kinds of patent filings don’t often lead to anything fruitful, though recent trends might suggest some credence.
Audio over UWB is a relatively new technology in the gadget industry, though it started to gain traction about four years ago. Bluetooth is not a “lossless” codec; audio data gets lost in the transition between the device streaming out and the audio gadget receiving it. Conversely, technology like UWB is more high-fidelity. It operates in the 6.5-9 GHz frequency range, compared to Bluetooth’s 2.4 GHz, and offers a faster refresh rate. This could help eliminate some skips and hiccups that often happen when you rock out through headphones. UWB also provides data transfer rates up to 25 meters—or over 70 feet—compared to Bluetooth’s 10 meters, or around 30 feet. The only caveat is that it’s more prone to being blocked by obstacles. But the closer you are to the source stream, the higher the audio streaming quality is for you.
If Samsung were to go full UWB, it would likely be in a future generation of its Galaxy Buds Pros. Last summer, the company majorly revamped the earbuds, opting for a stemmed-out look instead of the beans-inside-the-ear look. The Galaxy Buds 3 Pro was one of our favorites for 2024, but it would be a little different to have Samsung come out and say, “Hey, we’re using UWB instead of Bluetooth!” It would be something a little different. It’s probably not happening anytime soon since UWB is barely an option for most smartphones, but it’s something to consider for future audio technology.
