Wireless headphone and earbud shoppers should prioritise Bluetooth multipoint, a feature that lets a device stay connected to two audio sources at once, over more heavily marketed specs like active noise cancellation. Unlike the old headphone jack, which allowed instant switching between devices with a simple plug swap, standard Bluetooth connections are often fiddly and prone to frustrating reconnection issues, making multipoint a significant convenience upgrade for anyone who regularly moves between, say, a laptop and a phone.

Multipoint is not officially part of the Bluetooth specification but is instead added by individual manufacturers, which is why it remains relatively rare despite consumer demand and is more commonly found on premium models such as the Sony WH-1000XM6. Devices use different Bluetooth profiles depending on the task, including A2DP for music and high-resolution codecs, AVRCP for playback controls, and HFP for phone calls, and headphones automatically prioritise between them, such as switching to a call. Because implementations vary in quality and compatibility, the article advises testing a headset's multipoint function with your specific devices before buying, or at least before any return window closes.