The 5 biggest headphones trends that you'll be hearing more about in 2024
1. Low latency: Chasing a faster listening experience
Low latency describes a network’s ability to process a high volume of data with minimal delay. Regarding headphones, the lower the latency, the faster the audio reaches your ears. Low latency is desirable for consumers, especially as the mobile gaming market expands. Audio companies know consumers want a pair of headphones they can wear during their daily commute, in the office, at the gym, and while gaming.
2. A new era of Bluetooth: A long way from 1999
Thanks to the technology, users can enjoy low-latency listening, and we expect the company to build on the codec in 2024. Just a few months ago, Qualcomm announced two new audio chips and platforms promising high bit-rate audio via Bluetooth connectivity. Lossless audio (CD-quality audio) is currently unachievable over a Bluetooth connection. Bluetooth cannot transmit data at the appropriate speeds for lossless playback. However, Qualcomm says its S7 Pro audio platform will equip your headphones with Wi-Fi, and lossless listening can occur without wires.
3. Solid-state drivers
Drivers are the tiny speakers inside a pair of headphones, often made of metal and magnets as air moves through them to produce the sounds you hear. The better and well-put the material, the better the sound.
There haven’t been many changes to headphone drivers for decades regarding the physics behind their output, but changes are coming, as a California-based startup, xMEMS, uses silicon-based drivers to increase audio clarity and can be used in headphones, in-ear monitors, digital hearing aids, smart glasses, and VR headsets.
4. Spatial audio
Spatial audio is a relatively new technology for consumer headphones, with Sony launching 360 Reality Audio only a few years ago. In response, Apple released its Spatial Audio feature in 2020, and gaming headphone manufacturers have since popularized the technology to provide the most immersive entertainment experiences.
