Apple Seemingly Preparing for Devices With Bluetooth 5.2, Which Could Hint at AirPods Pro With LE Audio

According to a filing in the Bluetooth SIG products database, Apple appears to be preparing for future devices that will support the newer version of the wireless protocol. This could be evidence of the future of the AirPods Pro.

The filing references a subsystem that is likely to be used in future products. It's possible that the filing refers to a version of the software that is higher in version number than the version that ends up being supported on a device.

According to reviews of the headphones, the Beats Studio Buds are listed with both 5.1 and 5.3 when they actually support 5.1, even though they don't.

With all of the confusion surrounding version numbers, Apple's adoption ofBluetooth 5.2 would be beneficial for AirPods, as the specification includes support for LE Audio with improvements to wireless audio streaming.

The low-energyBluetooth LE standard includes LE Audio. 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 Air Pod to have its ownBluetooth connection are some of the benefits of LE Audio.

Products with support for LE Audio are expected to be available by the end of 2022. It remains to be seen if the second- generation of the AirPods Pro will support either of the two audio formats. It's not clear if Apple will add LE Audio support to the Beats Studio Buds with a firmware update.