Google Pixel 7 Series, Pixel 7a May Get Bluetooth LE Audio Standard Support: Report

Google Pixel 7a could come with support for Bluetooth LE Audio, the new standard that offers great audio output. Google has still not launched the Pixel 7 series, which is expected to include the vanilla Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro. In fact, the company has added the support for Bluetooth Low Energy (LE) audio to Android 13 that will allow users to enjoy better synced audio with reduced delay. The development comes a few weeks after Google launched the Pixel 6a globally, including in India.

Citing comments posted by Google employees on code collaboration platform Gerrit, a report by 9to5google suggests that the company is readying two sets of smartphones. One of the comments mentions “p22/p23a”, which are assumed to be references to the Pixel 7, the Pixel 7 Pro, and the Pixel 7a. The p22 could be a reference to Pixel smartphones launching in the fall of 2022 — which are the Pixel 7 and the Pixel 7 Pro. The p23a could be a reference to an A-series smartphone launching in 2023, which is assumed to be the Pixel 7a. The code suggests that all three phones will have support for the Bluetooth LE Audio.

The report also suggests that since the Pixel 7 series and the Pixel 7a are mentioned together, it could mean that the higher-quality support for Bluetooth LE Audio is part of the second-generation Google Tensor chip. The current generation of smartphones — the Pixel 6, the Pixel 6 Pro, and the Pixel 6a — are powered by the first generation Google Tensor chip. They may or may not offer a high-quality audio experience as the Pixel 7 series, however, Google has added the support for Bluetooth Low Energy (LE) audio to Android 13, which has already been rolled out to Pixel 6 series and Pixel 6a.

It is to be noted that one should have Bluetooth LE Audio support on both the earphones or headphones as well as on the input device. Currently, there aren't many devices that support the latest audio standard. Google Pixel 7 being one of the early smartphones to get Bluetooth LE Audio support is quite a great feat. Samsung recently launched the Galaxy Buds 2 Pro and announced that the TWS earphones will get Bluetooth LE Audio support via a firmware update later this year.

Bluetooth LE Audio is the latest Bluetooth wireless specification that offers a bunch of new features for wireless audio streaming. Among a long list of features, the new specification offers enhanced overall audio performance over a Bluetooth connection. There is reduced lag and higher audio quality transmission for better listening experience as compared to Classic Bluetooth. The Low Complexity Communications Codec (LC3) in the specification provides high-quality audio with low power consumption.