Android Oreo Update to Bring LDAC Codec Support to Xiaomi Devices
Jul. 7, 2018Reports in the Chinese online media seem to suggest that Xiaomi is rolling out LDAC support to all its smartphones that are running Android Oreo beta. The new feature will also be available on the stable versions when that finally rolls out.A multitude of Xiaomi devicesare expected to get Android Oreo-based MIUI 10in the days ahead, so all those devices will likely have native LDAC support sooner rather than later.
LDACis an audio codec developed by Sony, and allows Hi-Res audio streaming (24bit/96khz) over Bluetooth connections up to 990 kbit/s.Starting with Android 8.0 Oreo, LDAC was incorporated into AOSP, enabling every OEM to integrate it into their Android devices without any royalty payments. The technology uses Bluetooth connectivity, but is said to be significantly more efficient than the standard Bluetooth codec.Image Courtesy: IT Home
While the arrival of LDAC is certainly good news for Xiaomi users, it’s worth noting that the Oreo update itself has been a massive headache for the company, having alreadyhad to halt the roll-outforat least two of its smartphonesover reports of critical bugs. In fact, with the Mi A1, the company had to halt the roll-outnot once, but twice.
Either way, once Xiaomi fixes all the outstanding issues, its smartphones are expected to have a significant improvement in their Bluetooth audio quality when connected to LDAC-compatible speakers, headsets and other accessories. While most Sony devices of recent vintage come with native LDAC support, many others, unfortunately, don’t. Users can check for LDAC compatibility of their Bluetooth peripherals by looking for the LDAC icon on the phone screen alongside the name of the connected device.
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