How Auracast Broadcast Audio technology will help you engage with the world and those around you

What if your Bluetooth earbuds could seamlessly tune into silent televisions (TVs) at any airport, gym, or bar? Wouldn’t it be fun if a friend could easily share the audio of a movie they’re playing on their laptop with you? Attendees at the Bluetooth Special Interest Group’s (SIG’s) Auracast Experience at Mobile World Congress (MWC) recently experienced exciting new use cases like this firsthand, thanks to the latest innovation in wireless audio — Bluetooth Low Energy (LE) Audio and our latest earbud platforms which are fully qualified to support this new technology. Qualcomm Technologies International, Ltd. has played an integral part in helping define the LE Audio specification and we sat down with Ken Kolderup, Chief Marketing Officer of the Bluetooth SIG, to discuss the capabilities, history, and future of LE Audio, including the transformative experiences Auracast broadcast audio can offer to the world. 

Josh Spoelstra (JS): What is LE Audio and why should consumers care?

Ken Kolderup (KK): LE Audio is truly the next generation of Bluetooth audio. It’s a complete re-architecture of the way audio is delivered and managed over Bluetooth technology and includes advancements that will impact consumers in many positive ways.

LE Audio will enable developers to continue improving the quality, latency, and power consumption of existing Bluetooth-audio device types including headphones, earbuds, speakers, and more. It will lead to broad support for Bluetooth audio in hearing aids and other hearing devices, and perhaps most significantly, LE Audio introduces Auracast broadcast audio, which will enable new life-changing audio use cases that will enhance the way we engage with each other and the world around us.

JS: How long has LE Audio been in development and what have been the biggest hurdles?

KK: The project started more than 10 years ago when the hearing industry approached the Bluetooth SIG to create a Bluetooth audio standard for hearing aids. The biggest challenge was the sheer scope of the project. Initial studies showed the hearing industry was looking for lower power, multi-stream, broadcast audio, that would add value to the broader consumer audio industry. 

Once the consumer audio industry got involved, it was determined that a complete re-architecture of how audio would be supported on Bluetooth was in order. Completing a project of this scope is an incredible accomplishment. LE Audio was the largest specification development project in Bluetooth history, resulting in the creation of more than 20 new Bluetooth specifications, totalling thousands of pages.

JS: Why now? Why do you think LE Audio is so relevant?

KK: Audio has only grown in importance in our lives, playing an ever-increasing role in how we live, work, and play. Accordingly, consumer demands for higher audio performance have also increased, and developers have been reaching the limits of what was possible with the original Classic Audio standard. It was important for the Bluetooth SIG to complete and release a new standard. 

JS: What excites you the most about the capabilities of LE Audio?

KK: There are so many things to be excited about. For me, the most exciting new capability has to be Auracast broadcast audio. Auracast has the potential to deliver new, life-changing audio use cases that will truly enhance the way we engage with each other and the world around us. Shared audio experiences can bring us together. We will be able to clearly hear announcements and music when we’re out in public, which is important for all of us, but critical for people with hearing loss. We will be able to finally unmute silent TVs in public places. And that’s just the start. Auracast will truly enhance our lives through audio broadcasting.

JS: Which sectors and industries do you think will see the biggest changes from LE Audio capabilities?

KK: This whole project started in the hearing industry, and I think the community that will benefit most from LE Audio is the growing population of people with hearing loss. We are incredibly proud of what our membership has accomplished in this regard, and I believe it will enable the Bluetooth community to deliver solutions that will improve the lives of this significant percentage of the global population. 

JS: How long will it be until we see Auracast broadcast audio in our day-to-day lives? 

KK: We’re expecting mainstream consumer audio products and hearing devices to add support for Auracast broadcast audio this year, and it’s forecasted that we’ll see initial deployments in public venues later this year.  

JS: When will the first devices with LE Audio be available?

KK: Adoption of LE Audio in enabling devices such as chips and modules is well underway and we’re expecting to see more end-product announcements coming in the near future and gaining momentum throughout the year.

JS: What’s next for Bluetooth audio?

KK: What we recently released was just the beginning for LE Audio. LE Audio was designed as a modular, extensible platform that will drive audio innovation for years to come. Enhancement work is already underway in areas such as surround sound, spatial audio, gaming audio, audio health, and much more.

The future of sound

To learn more about how LE Audio is changing the future of sound, you can download our brand new State of Sound – Soundbites report on LE Audio here.