Improving Mobile Audio

Internet-enabled mobile devices are ubiquitous. Some 5 billion people or about 70% of the planet's entire population will have mobile accounts by the end of 2010, according to the International Telecommunications Union.

Over the past couple of years, the mobile electronics industry has seen an explosion in growth, use, and popularity. But if you ask me, there is one area that seems to be trailing the curve: mobile audio. Which is why I was interested in the recent announcement from Wolfson Microelectronics that demonstrated that at least someone was paying attention to the sound of mobile.

HD audio

Wolfson's announcement was for a new “high-definition” audio hub, the WM8958, which is designed to work with the company's AudioPlus products, including “micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) microphones, power management ICs, and noise cancellation solutions.”

Although “high definition” as applied to audio sounds like a marketing ploy to me, the device specifications and features point toward improved mobile audio.

The WM8958 is a low-power, high-fidelity codec specifically for mobile devices, including smart phones. It has a 100-dB signal-to-noise ratio, a number of playback modes, and integrated stereo speaker drivers.

Mobile multimedia

Wolfson certainly seems to be addressing a need in the market, as mobile devices begin to serve up more multimedia entertainment and interaction.

As an example, the recently released Samsung Vibrant, which was available to T-Mobile customers in the U.S., came loaded with a copy of the Academy Awardwinning movie Avatar . While the film looks beautiful (although smallish) on the Vibrant, its audio doesn't necessarily match the power of the visual experience.

This mismatch is true too even in the popular iPod, which sounds good, but not as good as a home system. While there will certainly continue to be a divide between the audio experience that a home-based system can offer compared to the experience from a mobile device, innovations like this one from Wolfson should help to narrow how that gap is perceived.

Armando Roggio