I updated this story to update the Bluetooth SIG details about the Bluetooth version required to access Auracast and the devices that support it.
New Bluetooth variants will be rolled out in the coming months. You need to be aware that this will make a big difference in the way audio is shared. Some of them can change your life.
This new feature, formerly known as audio sharing, is now known as Auracast Broadcast Audio. Basically, with Auracast, your audio transmitter (smartphone, tablet, laptop, TV, or PA system) can be turned into an unlimited number of nearby Bluetooth audio receivers, including portable speakers, true wireless earphones, and hearing devices. You can broadcast audio.
Currently, Apple AirPods owners already have a custom way to share audio across multiple earphones, but only to other Apple or Beats headphones. With this new Bluetooth rollout, you can share audio from one device to multiple headphones. It doesn’t have to be AirPods.
Auracast works with Bluetooth LE Audio, which is part of Bluetooth 5.2. When I asked the Bluetooth SIG to explain which devices support Auracast, he said:
“Technically, to support Auracast broadcast audio in receivers or other products, support certain features introduced in version 5.2 of the Bluetooth core specification and public broadcast profiles within a set of LE audio specifications. is needed.”
Therefore, suppose someone wants to participate in an Auracast broadcast that is being sent from someone else’s phone. The user interface (the one that finds and selects the broadcast) will be the phone to which the earphones are normally connected and the earphones will switch. For Auracast connection?
“The smartphone UI used to identify and select participating Auracast broadcasts is not only part of the device’s operating system, but also part of an app that comes with earphones. In terms of, the UI looks like this: Scanning and associating Wi-Fi networks is working, providing support within the underlying OS platform and available third-party apps. “
Basically, Auracast requires Bluetooth 5.2 for it to work, and you need to update your phone so that you can find and select Auracast broadcasts.
Analysis: Auracast is huge, consider the impact
Mark Powell, CEO of the Bluetooth SIG, said: “The launch of Auracast Broadcast Audio will bring even greater changes to the wireless audio market. A space that provides an audio experience that enhances visitor satisfaction and accessibility.”
Indeed, for hearing aid wearers, the impact here is enormous and can even be life-changing. Of course, Auracast allows you to invite friends to enjoy a selection of playlists without sacrificing your earphones (as long as they have), but watch TV in public. You can also enjoy it. Think of silent television in public places such as airports, gyms, and waiting rooms. Soon, we will be able to broadcast audio that is accessible to all visitors using Auracast-enabled Bluetooth earphones or hearing aids.
Now imagine being at the airport. Important flight announcements, gate changes, boarding schedules, and other travel information can be accessed directly from the airport’s public address system on your personal audio device.
“Current assistive listening systems, such as induction loops, are of great benefit to people with hearing loss, but suffer from many limiting deployment challenges such as low quality, high cost, and lack of privacy. I will. ” WiFore CTO Nick Han. “Auracast’s broadcast audio is highly advanced, offering higher audio quality and privacy, improving audio accessibility, and promoting a better life through better hearing, while being significantly easier and cheaper to deploy. We are in a good position to become a new auxiliary listening system. “
By 2035, it is estimated to be around 14.2 million. (Opens in a new tab) Adults will have over 25 dBHL of deafness throughout the UK, which is certainly welcome news.