At the end of 2016, Apple introduced the iPhone 7 without a 3.5mm audio jack, but offered a worthy alternative to it. We are talking about AirPods – the first mass-produced fully wireless headphones. A pair of earbuds that do not connect with a cable were a real breakthrough and turned the industry on its head. The world’s leading manufacturers followed the example of the Cupertino company and began to systematically offer their vision in the TWS segment. It seems that until now, it has literally said everything. But this is still not the case. Fresh models will definitely please potential users with new achievements in different directions. And it is worth stopping at the most anticipated of them.
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True wireless headphones should last longer
Headphones from the TWS segment are distinguished by maximum convenience, which motivates you to take them off as little as possible. Moreover, non-intracanal models are also practically not felt in the auricles, so you can wear them even all day long. I have heard the opinion more than once that such accessories can be perceived as implants that improve the body. I completely agree. It’s a pity that not the longest autonomy significantly breaks off such enthusiasm. From my personal experience, the average TWS model rarely lasts more than 5 hours without the support of a charging case. One of the leaders in the wireless segment is the Powerbeats Pro from Beats, which last 9 hours. But to call them daily even the language does not turn. In general, increasing autonomy is very important.
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Serious moisture protection according to IP standards is required
The convenience of a completely wireless design motivates you to part with your headphones as little as possible and use them literally in any conditions. However, not all of them are protected from moisture, which, in the end, can become critical for them. For example, the really massive latest AirPods nominally comply with the IPX4 standard, which confirms that they will not be harmed by splashes. However, if you just drop them into the sink, the consequences can be the most unpredictable. Moreover, even modern TWS sports models for the most active ones have not gone far in this indicator. Actually, that’s why on the boxes of future fully wireless headphones I want to see the mark IPX7, and preferably IPX8 (maximum levels of protection against moisture).
It’s time to downsize fully wireless earbuds
Since the original AirPods, many true wireless earbuds have featured a stem that protrudes from the ear in each earbud. Many believe that it is needed for simple installation in the auricle, as well as further removal. Others emphasize that there are microphones for voice transmission at its tips, and the leg brings them closer to the speech apparatus during communication. Both opinions are partly true, but more important than the antenna for transmitting data between the headphones – the earbuds protrude from the ears for reliable communication and synchronization of the audio stream. With an increase in the power of transmitters, it is still better to move away from such a practice in order to reduce the size.
Control playback will turn out right through the body
Apple patent documents confirm the ability to control the upcoming 2nd generation AirPods Pro by touching different parts of the body. The registered technology will help you skip tracks, pause playback or start smart assistants by touching your ears, cheekbones, cheeks or limbs. To do this, imperceptible electrical impulses passing through parts of the body will be captured at a special frequency. It seems that this is a description for the technology of the future from the scenario of a science fiction movie, but once upon a time, completely wireless headphones themselves seemed to be something supernatural. Technology continues to move forward by leaps and bounds, no matter what.
TWS headphones will be able to better follow head movements
It is quite possible that in the near future, fully wireless headphones will be able to monitor not only the rotation of the head, but also the position of the body. To do this, they, apparently, will use the familiar gyroscope and accelerometer, as well as advanced algorithms based on neural networks. There are a lot of scenarios for using such a mechanism. It will turn out, for example, to monitor the posture of the user and give him other recommendations related to a healthy lifestyle. You can also talk about the more correct effects of expanding the audio scene, which Apple already has in its “Spatial Audio” technology. Well, we will observe the development of TWS in this direction.
It’s time for wireless headphones to increase the sound quality
When users in the mass switched to completely wireless headphones, many of them stopped even thinking about sound quality. Ease of use has won, so even thoughts about the maximum study of the entire frequency range have faded into the background. However, in order to provoke a new interest in the TWS segment, you still have to work on the sound quality. It is quite possible that new codecs for sound transmission with minimal loss, tailored for completely wireless headphones, will be the solution to the problem. There is information that Apple is working on their vision for AirPods. However, other manufacturers will also have to push in this direction. And no one has canceled hardware improvements yet.
All new TWS models need ANC intensity control
Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) technology itself is not new. Even in the last century, it was used in the equipment of pilots of military helicopters to reduce the noise from running engines. Today, many owners of TWS headphones can drown out unnecessary ambient sounds in the presence of ANC. However, not all models are able to control the intensity of active noise reduction. Moreover, in single instances, ANC is automatically suspended when the owner’s speech is recognized. In order not to pull the headphones out of your ears, it is logical to turn off the noise reduction if you suddenly need to chat with someone. Yes, and the overall quality of ANC is time to massively improve – all this is also being worked on.
Advanced heart rate and blood oxygen monitoring
It is quite possible that in the near future, completely wireless headphones will be able to control the physical parameters of the body no worse, and even better than smartwatches and fitness bracelets. To do this, they will pass infrared and other rays through the user’s body. It is possible that, in comparison with other wearable electronics, TWS headphones will increase the accuracy of measuring the pulse and even the amount of oxygen in the blood. The fact is that in order to increase the correctness of determining these indicators, close contact with the skin is needed, which is not always possible in the case of smart watches and fitness bracelets. Still, headphones – especially in-ear headphones – are a priori adjacent to the skin, and it is not always convenient to pinch the wrist with straps.
It’s time to think about the maintenance of the batteries of the headphones
Few people still understand that all fully wireless headphones have, shall we say, a “shelf life”. It is caused by chemical processes inside lithium batteries. With each iteration of charging-discharging from 0 to 100%, the battery life of the headphones is systematically reduced. After 500 cycles, the maximum battery capacity is rarely more than 80%, and then it gets worse. Therefore, with an average use of TWS headphones after 2-3 years, their autonomy no longer holds water. Therefore, in addition to working on the immediate operating time, manufacturers should also think about replacing batteries. This, at least, could be done at least within the framework of official services.
Ultimately, the price of TWS headphones should fall regularly
The more manufacturers are building true wireless earbuds, the more affordable they should become. Of course, we are not talking about top models with the set of innovations described above, but about the mass sector. Today, it makes no sense to choose only AirPods – especially if you have to use them most often not with Apple technology. Quite decent models are made by Samsung, Xiaomi, and many other companies. However, in modern realities, TWS premium quality is unlikely to become cheaper. And the flow of technological innovation is unlikely to be as rapid as before.
Source: Trash Box
Donald-43Westbrook, a distinguished contributor at worldstockmarket, is celebrated for his exceptional prowess in article writing. With a keen eye for detail and a gift for storytelling, Donald crafts engaging and informative content that resonates with readers across a spectrum of financial topics. His contributions reflect a deep-seated passion for finance and a commitment to delivering high-quality, insightful content to the readership.
