Apple Seemingly Preparing for Devices With Bluetooth 5.2, Which Could Hint at AirPods Pro With LE Audio
Apple appears to be preparing for future devices with Bluetooth 5.2 support, according to a filing in the Bluetooth SIG products database earlier this month. Among other possibilities, this could serve as evidence of future AirPods Pro with LE Audio support.
Apple's filing references a Bluetooth 5.3 host subsystem that is likely intended for future products. However, in actuality, the filing likely refers to Bluetooth 5.2, as the Bluetooth versions listed in Apple's filings in the database are often one version number higher than the version that ends up being supported on a device, for reasons unclear.
For example, the Beats Studio Buds are listed with Bluetooth 5.3 when they actually support Bluetooth 5.2, according to reviews of the headphones, while many iPhone and iPad models are listed with Bluetooth 5.1 despite supporting Bluetooth 5.0.
With all of that confusion surrounding version numbers aside, Apple adopting Bluetooth 5.2 would be especially beneficial for AirPods, as the specification includes support for LE Audio with several improvements to wireless audio streaming.
LE Audio is part of the low-energy Bluetooth LE standard. According to The Verge, benefits of LE Audio for wireless headphones like AirPods could include improved audio quality, longer battery life, the ability to connect more than two pairs of AirPods to a single iPhone, and the ability for each individual left and right AirPod to have its own Bluetooth connection to an iPhone to prevent desynchronization during audio playback.
In July, the Bluetooth SIG said it anticipates availability of products with support for LE Audio to ramp up by the end of 2022. Apple is expected to launch second-generation AirPods Pro by the end of the year, but it remains to be seen if they support Bluetooth 5.2 or LE Audio. It also remains to be seen if Apple would add LE Audio support to the Beats Studio Buds with a firmware update given those earbuds already support Bluetooth 5.2.
Popular Stories
While the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are not expected to launch until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices.
iPhone 17 Pro's alleged design via Front Page Tech
Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models as of March 2025:
Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an aluminum frame, whereas the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone...
If you pay for iCloud storage on your iPhone, Apple has a new perk for you, at no additional cost.
The new perk is the ability to create invitations in the Apple Invites app for the iPhone, which launched in the App Store last month.
In the Apple Invites app, iCloud+ subscribers can create invitations for any occasion, such as birthday parties, graduations, baby showers, and more. Anyone ...
We're not getting new Siri Apple Intelligence features in iOS 18.4 as expected, but the upcoming update does have quite a few new additions that will be worth upgrading for. We've rounded up the five best features to look forward to, and if you're not running the beta, you can expect to get access to these in early April.
Priority Notifications
If you have an iPhone or iPad that supports...
While the first iOS 19 beta is still more than two months away, there are already plenty of rumors about the upcoming software update.
Below, we recap the key iOS 19 rumors so far.
visionOS-Like Design
In January, the YouTube channel Front Page Tech revealed a redesigned Camera app that is allegedly planned for iOS 19.
According to Front Page Tech host Jon Prosser, the Camera app...
Apple today seeded the release candidate versions of upcoming iOS 18.4 and iPadOS 18.4 updates to developers for testing purposes, with the software coming a week after Apple released the fourth betas.
iOS 18.4 and iPadOS 18.4 can be downloaded from the Settings app on a compatible device by going to General > Software Update.
With iOS 18.4, Apple is adding the Priority Notifications...
Apple today announced that AirPods Max with a USB-C port will be gaining support for lossless audio and ultra-low latency audio with a firmware update next month, alongside the release of iOS 18.4, iPadOS 18.4, and macOS 15.4.
For context, audio files are typically compressed to keep file sizes smaller. There are lossy compression standards like MP3, and Apple's own Advanced Audio Codec...
Apple will launch its long-rumored foldable iPhone next year with a ~$2,000 premium price tag attached, expects well-connected Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman.
Gurman's comments on Apple's launch plans for its first foldable device appeared in the Q&A section of his latest Power On newsletter. Earlier this month, the reporter said Apple's foldable iPhone could be arriving "as early as 2026,"...
Apple is expected to release iOS 18.4 to the general public as soon as next week, following more than a month of beta testing.
Apple's website says some iOS 18.4 features will be released in "early April," so the update should be out as early as Tuesday, April 1.
Apple this week seeded the iOS 18.4 Release Candidate, which is typically the final beta version, barring the discovery of any...
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/9366061/DSCF2271.jpg)
