Samsung is expected to include ultra-wideband (UWB) support in upcoming audio wearable devices. This is said to improve data transmission speed and offer lossless audio delivery while being more energy efficient. The paired devices will require UWB support as well for these features to work. UWB is said to support more bandwidth than Bluetooth and can work alongside it as well. A new patent filing from the South Korean tech giant suggests that it is developing wireless earphones with this technology.
Samsung May Launch Earphones With UWB Support
The company filed (via) for a patent with the US Patent and Trade Office on Thursday for wirelessly sharing audio between a device and wireless earphones using UWB. The patent discloses that Bluetooth will be used to establish a preliminary connection between the host device and the first earphone. Once both earbuds sequentially transition to a UWB connection—starting with the primary and then the secondary—UWB audio transmission can commence.
According to Samsung’s patent, UWB audio transmission will likely provide lower interference and latency than Bluetooth connections. The company asserts that UWB allows for high-speed data transfer, notably up to 20Mbps, while consuming less power, making it a power-efficient alternative. Additionally, the faster speeds may facilitate the transmission of lossless audio.
For UWB connectivity to function effectively with wireless earphones, the host device like the smartphone, tablet, PC, or smartwatch, will also have to be equipped with UWB support. This technology is currently found in smartphones, trackers, AirPods, and select smartwatches. However, these use UWB for features like device tracking, access control and other things. UWB support for wireless audio transmission, if implemented, will be a considerable new development.
Notably, Samsung’s latest Galaxy S25+ and Galaxy S25 Ultra handsets come with UWB support. The base Galaxy S25 model does not support UWB connectivity. The previous generation Galaxy S24+ and Galaxy S24 Ultra have UWB support too, as well as the Galaxy Z Fold 6. The Galaxy Note 20 Ultra was the first smartphone that Samsung launched with this technology.
