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HMD Global began releasing smartphones under its own brand name this year and I have been keeping an eye on things. Up till now, the company had announced nothing that really triggered my interest. Every model that has been announced has been pretty mundane entry-level Android smartphones. But the upcoming HMD Skyline has some interesting specs and features that place it higher up in mid-range territory.
Take the Qualcomm Snapdragon 7s Gen 2 chipset used in the Skyline, for example. It isn’t among the most powerful midrange chipsets around, but it offers decent performance in the territory and includes 5G connectivity. There is also a 120Hz refresh rate OLED display, under-display fingerprint scanner, IP67 certification for dust and water resistance, 8GB RAM, stereo speakers, a 32MP selfie camera, and a 108-megapixel rear camera. It will run Android 14 out of the box, and there is also 33W fast charging.
HMD Skyline will have a fabula design familiar from Lumia phones.
What is no surprise to me is that HMD Skyline has a fabula design familiar from Lumia phones. I saw indications of this from the images that HMD Global released ehen announcing that they would make phones under their own brand name.
HMD Skyline is a dual-SIM device and reports say it will cost around €520 when it hits the market in June 2024.
Earlier, HMD had announced the Pulse, Pulse+, Pulse Pro, Aura, and XR21 (a rebrand of the Nokia XR21). The Skyline is the most high-end device in the portfolio so far, and what is known of the specs makes it an exciting phone to look forward to.
I hope to see more higher end devices from HMD Global. Or at least some devices with interesting features that excite. Every brand needs something exciting to develop mindshare in today’s competitive market. The post-Microsoft Nokia phones failed at that. Nothing Technologies is nailing it. Even hitherto small Chinese phone brands like TECNO and Infinix used the same approach to grow. I hope that HMD does not drop the ball this time. Give the market phones that excite users in some way.
Author:Mister Mobility
Digital Skills and Communication Coach | Mobile Phone Connoisseur since 2001 | Tech Blogging since 2004
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What Are Bluetooth Codecs? A Bluetooth codec is a software format that compresses and encodes music, making it efficiently transmissible wirelessly between devices. These codecs determine how Bluetooth audio is transmitted from the source device (e.g., smartphone or tablet) to the Bluetooth speaker or headphones. The term “codec” comes from the process of encoding and decoding the transferred media.
There are four most popular Bluetooth codecs, namely: SBC (developed by the Bluetooth Special Interest group – SIG), AAC (developed by the Moving Picture Experts group – MPEG), aptX (developed by Qualcomm), and LDAC (developed by Sony).
- Why Should You Care?
- Introducing the top Bluetooth codecs
- Comparison: SBC vs AAC vs aptX vs LDAC
Why Should You Care?
- The choice of Bluetooth codec significantly affects sound quality between your source device and audio peripherals (headphones, speakers, etc.).
- Different codecs have varying bitrates and methods of processing data during transmission.
- If you want the best possible audio quality over Bluetooth, consider using a higher-quality codec than the standard AAC and SBC ones; I advice that you preferably go with an aptX codec.
- Understanding and selecting the right codec ensures an optimal listening experience when using Bluetooth devices.
Introducing the top Bluetooth codecs
SBC (Sub-band Coding) : SBC is an audio subband codec specified by the Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG) for the Advanced Audio Distribution Profile (A2DP). It serves as a digital audio encoder and decoder used to transfer data to Bluetooth audio output devices like headphones or loudspeakers.
- Key Points : Basic codec with the lowest bit rate. Provides manageable transfer rates (192-320 kbps) at the expense of sound quality. Mandatory for all A2DP-enabled devices, making it virtually universal. SBC is the most widely used Bluetooth codec, being supported by most Bluetooth gadgets and devices.
AAC (Advanced Audio Codec) : AAC is a widely supported Bluetooth codec used by Apple. It provides fairly good audio quality without requiring excessive processing power. AAC has a maximum transfer rate of 250 kbps and can support audio quality up to 24-bit/96 kHz.
- Key Points : Preferred by Apple. Inconsistent when used with Android devices. Offers higher audio quality than SBC.
aptX : aptX is a series of Bluetooth codecs developed by Qualcomm as an alternative to SBC with the objective of matching the audio quality of wired headsets. It can transmit audio at CD-like 16-bit/44.1 kHz and has a data rate of 352 kbps. aptX is found in various devices, including computers, smartphones, and consumer electronics products.
- Key Points : Widely used and synonymous with Bluetooth. Provides good audio quality. Supports higher bit depth and sampling rate than SBC. Found only in smartphones using Qualcomm chipsets (for now).
aptX codecs include: standard aptX, aptX HD , aptX Adaptive , and Snapdragon Sound . Click on each name to go read up some more about their specifics.
LDAC : LDAC is a proprietary audio coding technology developed by Sony. It allows streaming high-resolution audio over Bluetooth connections at up to 990 kbps and 32 bits/96 kHz. LDAC is used in headphones, earphones, smartphones, and other devices.
- Key Points : Handles hi-res audio efficiently. Approximately three times more data can be streamed over Bluetooth compared to other codecs. Offers impressive quality on paper, but real-life performance may vary.
Comparison: SBC vs AAC vs aptX vs LDAC
- SBC : Basic, universal, and manageable transfer rates.
- AAC : Preferred by Apple, better quality than SBC.
- aptX : Widely used, good audio quality, and higher bit depth.
- LDAC : High-resolution audio, efficient streaming, and impressive specifications.
Choosing the right codec depends on your device compatibility and desired audio quality. Personally, I am a fan and evangelist of aptX codecs and look out for that in devices that I am interested in. What is limiting the adoption of aptX codecs is that fewer smartphones are using Qualcomm chipsets, thanks to the rise of MediaTek and other chip brands. As such, where my devices do not support aptX, I gladly use Bluetooth accessories that support SBC, as it is the most widely available Bluetooth codec right now. It is the most basic codec, but where the desirable is not available, the available becomes desirable.
If you are an Apple device user, you are pretty much tied to AAC, as that is what Apple has stuck with, at least for now.
Author:Mister Mobility
Digital Skills and Communication Coach | Mobile Phone Connoisseur since 2001 | Tech Blogging since 2004
