Title: Integrating nRF9161 for 4G LTE-M Connectivity in Sony WF-1000XM5 Earbuds

[Tomas Adri]

Message:

Hi Nordic Semiconductor Dev Zone,

I am developing a PCB that mirrors the one in Sony WF-1000XM5 earbuds, but with the microcontroller replaced by the nRF9161. This upgrade will enable 4G and LTE-M connectivity for the earbud case.

The earbuds themselves will connect to the nRF5340 via Bluetooth, supporting LE Audio and LC3 codecs.

1. LC3 Music Streaming: Will the nRF9161 support LC3 music streaming at approximately 160 or 320 kbps? Should the file be in LC3 format from the server, or is AAC acceptable and then converted to LC3?

2. Certification: Do I need to certify the product and PCB for the use of Ignion RUN mXTEND antenna with eSIM from Telenor, or is this an approved solution?

My plan is to offer a replacement PCB for both new and existing Sony earbuds, enabling them to access the internet without needing a mobile phone, and allowing interaction with AI assistants for responses and music playback.

If Sony is interested, they might integrate this into their existing product line. They sell about 20 million units a year, which could potentially increase to 200 million if 4G connectivity is in demand. Would Nordic Semiconductor consider being a partner so we can purchase components directly from you?

Thank you for your support.

Best regards,

Tomas Adrian

thewalkmanblog.blogspot.com/.../sony-wf-1000xm5-teardown.html

[Sigurd Hellesvik]

Hi,

For product recommendations, I suggest that you contact our sales reps.

For the technical perspective, I see two main issues:

Firstly, cellular is very current-intensive when on, so streaming all the time will require a large battery. I recommend that you do some calculations.

Secondly, you require that the LTE-M or NB-IoT specification allows for enough bandwidth for your use-case. I recommend that you check this to make sure it fits.

Regards,
Sigurd Hellesvik