Bluetooth 7.0 could bring truly lossless audio to future Galaxy Buds

Samsung recently unveiled the Galaxy Buds On, its first wireless earbuds with Bluetooth 6.2. While this is one of the newest versions of Bluetooth available right now, an even newer iteration has been announced, and it could bring truly lossless audio and more to future Galaxy Buds.

The Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG), which oversees the development of Bluetooth technology, has announced the formal adoption of Bluetooth High Data Throughput (HDT) as an optional feature in Bluetooth Core 7.0. It increases the maximum bit rate of Bluetooth Low Energy (LE) from 2Mbps to 7.5Mbps, nearly quadrupling the data transfer speed. This not only allows for truly lossless audio but also brings several other improvements.

Lossless audio requires a bitrate of at least 1.4Mbps, unless a proprietary codec like aptX Lossless is used. For Hi-Res Lossless Audio, a bitrate of 4.5Mbps is needed, and Bluetooth 7.0 HDT more than satisfies that requirement.

In addition, the upcoming standard can transfer advanced audio features like spatial audio and multichannel surround sound without relying on proprietary wireless protocols. Devices with this version of Bluetooth will start launching in 2027, and Qualcomm has already developed a chip with Bluetooth 7.0.

Samsung is already using Bluetooth 6.2 in the Galaxy Buds On, and the company will likely bring Bluetooth 7.0 to its future Galaxy Buds or Galaxy Studio models. This upgrade would allow them to offer Hi-Res Lossless Audio for even better sound quality.

Joonsuk Kim, executive vice president and head of S.LSI CP development at Samsung Electronics, said, “The significance of Bluetooth High Data Throughput goes well beyond speed. By advancing data throughput, capacity, energy efficiency, and reliability together, Bluetooth HDT gives developers and product makers a stronger foundation for building more capable products and richer wireless experiences.“

They added, “Together, these advancements enable more sophisticated applications, new product opportunities, and continued Bluetooth ecosystem growth.“

The new standard also benefits devices beyond earbuds and headphones. For smartwatches, it can enable the transfer of large amounts of fitness and health-tracking data. Software updates are usually transferred from a connected phone to a smartwatch via Bluetooth, and Bluetooth 7.0 can make this process much faster.

Since more data can be transferred in a shorter amount of time, the Bluetooth radios on the phone and the paired accessory can remain idle longer, increasing their battery life. Modern AI-powered wearable devices like smart glasses and pendants that gather data and send it to a phone for AI processing can also heavily benefit from this upcoming version of Bluetooth.