TLDR author:
READ THE BOX/MANUAL/OFFICIAL PRODUCT PAGE. Keep up with the times. You are an author on a tech website that regularly reports on up and coming technology that are supposed to make our lives better.
Cons
- Spotty device compatibility
Bluetooth is available but I only managed to pair it with my Android smartphone — the InZone Buds failed to connect with any of my Apple devices (an iPhone 12 Mini, iPad Pro, and Mac Mini) over Bluetooth, and a Sony representative confirmed this was expected behavior. The earbuds also failed to connect to my Switch over Bluetooth.
The restrictions placed on Bluetooth connectivity were especially strange, and not something I've seen in competitors — nearly all gaming earbuds that support Bluetooth can connect to Android and iOS devices, as well as PCs and Switches, with ease.
Lemme guess. You did not read what the box says. You did not read the manual. You did not read the product page on Sony's website. This is a con yes, but a very justifiable one. I shall quote the official product page:
Smartphone device must be compatible with LE Audio or USB-C® Connection.
Experience a world of unparalleled sound precision. The INZONE Buds are meticulously crafted for gamers, with superior sound clarity and long battery life that keeps you playing for hours.
electronics.sony.com
This product
ONLY supports Bluetooth LE audio and the LC3 codec. There is no support for any other Bluetooth audio codec. It is not a restriction. It is by design. This is how they get really good battery life (probably). Note the below is all pure speculation based on what Bluetooth LE audio and the LC3 codec offers.
LC3 codec allows Sony to use a lower bitrate while keeping the same or better quality than SBC, the standard bluetooth audio codec that every device since the dinosaur age supports. Lower bandwidth requirements, combined with only supporting only a single bluetooth codec, plus whatever they use for 2.4ghz low latency audio, helps to reduce complexity, keeps costs down, keeps power usage low and keeps the board as small as possible. Maybe even gaining more space for a slightly bigger battery.
If this is what it takes to get longer battery life out of my buds so be it. Android has rolled out Bluetooth LE audio and LC3 codec support in a lot of the newer phones already. And older phones that still get updates to Android 13 and above should also get LC3 codec support. As long as your phone supports Bluetooth 5.2 and your OEM does not block/remove the feature for... reasons.
Meanwhile Apple iinm may not have released support for Bluetooth LE/LC3 audio devices yet on their iPhones. (Don't quote me on this, Apple is being vague about when will iphones ever support new(?) tech is normal but you can Google it).
Obviously the Nintendo Switch not supporting it makes sense, Bluetooth LE audio requires the device to support Bluetooth 5.2 at minimum. The Switch only supports Bluetooth 4.1.
So if Apple doesn't want to update their iPhones, or maybe even being restrictive about what devices can use the newest tech on their iPhones, is it Sony's fault or is it Apple's fault? If console that is already using outdated tech when it was released, is it Sony's fault? (I do not blame Nintendo, they chose the best platform available to them at a reasonable price point and it paid off) It definitely not a restriction on Sony's side. It is a con for sure for
not being able to work on older devices, but it is by
NO MEANS FINICKY.
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