nRF5340 system design with a second BT SOC to deliver Bluetooth Classic?

[Hakgus]

We have come to understand that the nRF5340 will not support BT classic (multiple tickets confirming this). But we still have a use-case that requires both BLE Audio and BT Classic audio. So we are investigating if it is possible to make a system design with the nRF5340 as the main chip and a second BT SOC that does the BT classic part. Has anyone done a system design like that and can provide som guidance. All and any suggestions and considerations would be welcome. How to solve the radio performance with two antennas or can the SOCs utilise the same antenna?

Thanks!

[Susheel Nuguru]

All of our products in Nordic are foccused on low power IoT use cases. So no, I do not think BT classic was every on table with our roadmaps as BT Classic is very power intensive protocol and do not suit low power IoT devices we cater to.

The use cases for BLE Audio are relatively new and atleast I haven't heard of any customer designs that are two chip solutions from different vendors. But it should be very straightforward design if both the SoCs have their own memories and radio components. The design becomes more complex when there are shared resources between two.

I have asked my colleague who have more insights in the BLE Audio part to see if he has any knowledge of use cases such as yours.

[Hakgus]

Hi 

Thanks for your reply. Yes I agree that long term BT classic will be replaced by BLE but we have to interact with todays mobile phones and support them for some more time. We understand Nordics strategy in this. 

But yes please, any more information would be very appreciated. Are there examples of system designs or considerations to adhere to that can help us forward?

[Susheel Nuguru]

I got a reply from my colleague that he does not know any internal R&D groups working on BT Classic. All are with LE only.