The New Qualcomm Adaptive ANC Reacts To Changes In Earbud Fit

Qualcomm took to IFA 2020 to announce a new breakthrough in active noise cancelling technology, which means future earbuds will sound consistently better in all circumstances.

The company’s ‘Adaptive Active Noise Cancellation’ is now available on its QCC514x Bluetooth audio chip and promises will automatically adjust sound quality every time, based even on changes in the way your earbuds fit in.

Usually, adaptive noise cancelling (ANC) happens when you first setup new earbuds. The software-based calibration ensures the best sound quality and ambient noise removal and reacts to variations in outside noise.

With Qualcomm’s improvement, that calibration will happen in real time, even when you adjust the earbuds in your ears or replace their tips.

“Our latest Adaptive ANC technology is designed to improve comfort for users by reducing the dependency on forming a tight seal when placing earbuds into the ear. 

This also means that users don’t need to push or twist the earbuds into place, which can also cause discomfort. 

Quite often, users may not select the best sized ear tips supplied with their earbuds, or insert the earbuds in the same way every time. 

The fit of the earbuds can also change, depending on the activity — while running, walking, or even moving their head, for example,” explains Qualcomm, underlining how their adaptive ANC will offer a consistent level of performance, no matter the conditions.

The SoCs that come with this tech, the Qualcomm QCC514x Bluetooth, also promise improvements in connectivity and playtime, plus support for voice assistants.