LC3 (Low Complexity Communication Codec) is the mandatory codec of Bluetooth LE Audio, introduced in 2020 to replace the long-serving SBC. Its efficiency is the headline: LC3 sounds better at 64 kbps stereo than SBC does at 200+ kbps, which means earbuds can run lower bitrates for longer battery life or spend the savings on quality. Lower, configurable latency suits gaming and video, and LC3 underpins Auracast broadcast audio, where one transmitter feeds many listeners. As LE Audio rolls out across phones, earbuds, and hearing aids, LC3 is positioned to become the default wireless audio codec, the way SBC was for two decades.
