Google confirms the Stadia Controller won’t support Bluetooth audio at launch
By
Google confirms the Stadia Controller won’t support Bluetooth audio at launch
Recently, Google updated its Stadia FAQ to address many questions people have over its upcoming cloud-based gaming platform. But there are still many questions left unanswered.
As highlighted by AndroidCentral, Google has (hosted by Andrey Doronichev, Director of Product for Stadia at Google) confirmed during an AMA session on Reddit that the official Stadia Controller won’t support Bluetooth headsets at launch. If you want to use a headset with the Stadia Controller, you’ve to use a wired one as the controller does have a 3.5mm headphone jack.
But Stadia can also be accessed through other devices, such as a desktop PC, smartphone, or tablet. Which means you can still Bluetooth audio if you were to connect the wireless headset directly to these devices.
While not explicitly mentioned, since the Stadia Controller does have a Bluetooth Classic radio, it’s possible that Bluetooth audio support is already in the works and would come via a firmware update down the road. So let’s keep our fingers crossed.
The whole AMA is a good read for those interested in the service. Others topics covered include the difference between Stadia Pro and Base (the former will get free games roughly once a month, 4K/HDR streaming, 5.1 audio), timeline for the family sharing function (early 2020), and mod support (exploring but not coming at launch).
The Google Stadia service is expected to launch sometime in November this year, alongside the US$129 Stadia Founder’s Edition, a kit that consists of the Stadia Controller and a Chromecast Ultra.
Source: Reddit (via AndroidCentral).
