HiFi Blog: digital audio goodness

According to the Sunday Herald, Edinburgh-based Wolfson Microelectronics is set to release its latest audio chip, the WM8985, this week. What makes this chipset important is the fact that, according to the company’s statements, it increases power efficiency by 70%. It’s worth noting that Wolfson’s chipsets are used in the iPod (all generations so far, IIRC), as well as in some other, less popular—but crystal sounding—portable audio players, such as the MPIO One.

Now think about it—an iPod whose battery runs for 70% more… Thought about it? Good, because for now and the near future that’s all this is going to be: a thought, and nothing else. When the WM8985 gets inside the iPod, it makes sense to believe that Apple will accompany it with a lower-capacity battery, which will result in counter-balancing the chipset’s power efficiency. That’s in order to reduce costs. Having your portable player run for 70% more is great and all, but the execs are thinking it won’t kill you if you just get a, say, 10% increase. (And I’m not taking a stab at Apple here. The same move will be made by any other company—it makes sense to want to minimize costs.) [via]