Google Pixel 8 Is Getting A Sweet Upgrade That Audiophiles Will Love
The Pixel 8 series will add support for lossless USB audio in a future later release, according to Dave Burke in response to a comment from a Redditor.
— Mishaal Rahman (@MishaalRahman) October 12, 2023
Android 14 added support for lossless audio formats over USB wired headsets. pic.twitter.com/XYPyvIrzrc
While audio quality is subjective and not for everybody, it's probably safe to say that listeners appreciate it when their favorite tracks sound just like the original song producers intended. Imagine vocals and instruments possessing the clarity and fidelity that many streaming services inevitably butcher through compression technology just to get your files from their servers to your ears.
Another natural contributor to loss in audio quality is when users listen to tunes through wireless Bluetooth earbuds or headphones—there will always be data lost in the process. Even when users use a wired headset to their phones, phone makers apply some kind of "flavor" or unique sound profile to the mix, which obviously alters the original audio somewhat.
By unlocking USB lossless audio at the Android 14 OS level, Google will be allowing (at first) Pixel 8 owners to plug in their wired headsets (they'll have to purchase a separate USB-C to 3.5mm adapter) and listen to unadulterated, uncompressed audio files. Of course, for the best experience, ensure that your audio source is the best quality along with a pair of earbuds/headphones.
There's no official word on which version of Android 14 will this feature drop with, but at least the tweet also mentions that other OEM phones running Android 14 will not be left out either.
