Hadlee Simons / Android Authority
TL;DR
- Qualcomm has confirmed that Snapdragon 7 chipsets and above will assist its XPAN expertise.
- XPAN permits wi-fi earbuds to make the most of Bluetooth and Wi-Fi to obtain audio information.
- The expertise permits for larger vary and the transmission of upper audio high quality.
New wi-fi earbuds using Wi-Fi and Bluetooth to beam your favourite tunes to your ears are nonetheless comparatively scarce, however Qualcomm needs to make sure this tech will get a good likelihood. The corporate confirmed to Android Authority at MWC 2025 that its XPAN audio expertise will likely be supported by extra than simply its topline chipsets.
The chipmaker mentions that mid-range and flagship silicon, specificially the Snapdragon 7 sequence and upwards in its pecking order, will obtain assist for XPAN. This broadened assist will enable these earbuds to work with extra units up and down the pricing spectrum.
XPAN, or Expanded Private Space Community expertise, permits supported earbuds to change between Bluetooth and Wi-Fi seamlessly when required. As a sensible instance, worn earbuds using this tech could make use of Bluetooth when the paired smartphone is in your pocket however broaden to Wi-Fi when it’s charging in your room, and also you’re gardening, supplied the 2 units are on the identical community.
We’ve already seen the primary pair of earbuds that assist this expertise with the Xiaomi Buds 5 Professional Wi-Fi making its bow in Barcelona over the weekend. Notably, Xiaomi notes that its XPAN assist is out there first on the lately introduced Xiaomi 15 Extremely. Nevertheless, with Qualcomm’s affirmation, we do count on it to work with extra units sooner or later.