World’s First Wi-Fi Earbuds Launched – But There’s a Twist

Wireless earbuds have been around for a while, but now, a new era has arrived. The first headphones featuring Qualcomm’s S7 Pro technology originally announced in 2023, have finally hit the market. Despite this chip supporting both Bluetooth and wireless audio streaming, it has taken time for brands to implement it. Enter Xiaomi Buds 5 Pro, a new generation of wireless earbuds that push the boundaries of audio technology.

The Xiaomi Buds 5 Pro comes in two versions: one that operates exclusively via Bluetooth and another that supports lossless music transmission at 24-bit/96 kHz with a bandwidth of up to 4.2 Mbps over Qualcomm’s Expanded Personal Area Network (XPAN). This offers double the data transfer capacity of Bluetooth 5.

So, what does this mean for users? Greater adaptability, for starters. You can stream audio uninterrupted, even if you move away from your phone—provided you stay connected to the same wireless network. Thanks to the increased bandwidth, these earbuds can wirelessly transmit more data, resulting in improved sound quality. Additionally, they consume less power, giving them a slightly longer battery life compared to the Bluetooth-only model.

This all sounds exciting, but there are still some unanswered questions. For instance, can the earphones connect to multiple Wi-Fi networks? If not, the dream of seamlessly hopping from one free Wi-Fi hotspot to another for high-quality streaming might still be a thing of the future. For now, you may only be able to use them with your home or office Wi-Fi—though, realistically, most people don’t stay in one place with their wireless earbuds. (On the other hand, for audiophile headphones, this setup makes more sense.)

That said the Xiaomi Buds 5 Pro still function like regular wireless earbuds using Bluetooth in areas where Wi-Fi isn’t available. However, to use their Wi-Fi capabilities, you’ll need a smartphone equipped with a Qualcomm chipset. As of now, that means only the Xiaomi 15 and 15 Ultra are compatible. iPhone users, unfortunately, are out of luck—for now. But given Apple’s track record, it’s likely they’re working on a similar product.

The Xiaomi Buds 5 Pro offers a solid 10-hour battery life on a single charge, which extends to 40 hours with the charging case. That’s better than competitors like the Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 4, the Sony WF-1000XM5, and the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds.

As expected, the earbuds come with Active Noise Cancellation (ANC). Inside, they feature a planar driver, a PZT tweeter, and an 11mm main driver. AI-powered features such as translation, transcription, and call recording further enhance their functionality.

The Xiaomi Buds 5 Pro Wi-Fi version is priced at £189 (approximately $240 or AU$385). The Bluetooth-only variant costs £159 (about $200 or AU$324) and is available in white and grey.

Meanwhile, Sonos is reportedly developing Wi-Fi-enabled headphones as well. Currently, only select Sonos soundbars support Wi-Fi pairing with the Sonos Ace headphones. Could Wi-Fi become the next big thing in portable audio? Stay tuned.