Bluetooth is one of the essential invisible ingredients of our lives, right up there with Wi-Fi and whatever magic makes TV remotes work. Not a commute goes by that I don’t thank King Harald “Bluetooth” Gormsson for discovering it.
I’m being informed by some of my more senior colleagues that Bluetooth was not discovered by a 10th century Viking King, just named after one. It’s not ancient history, then, but it’s not exactly new news, is it?
Enter Auracast. While Bluetooth currently allows for limited connections, the Auracast Bluetooth feature will allow one audio transmitter to broadcast to a potentially unlimited number of in-range compatible devices. To put it (overly) simply, it’s like moving from a telephone call to a radio broadcast.
And it’s not in the distant future, it’s here already. Brands like Samsung, JBL, and Sennheiser are making compatible phones, headphones, and speakers. So, what are the potential applications of Auracast, and what might it mean for the audio industry?
- Making audio more inclusive & accessible
Auracast can provide a universal system for assistive listening, allowing easily accessible audio through a smartphone and regular headphones for those with hearing loss everywhere from theatres to conferences to churches. It can also allow people watching the same show/movie/speech in-person to listen in different languages.
- Hear more, and hear more personally, when in public or at events
In public spaces like train stations, Auracast can allow people to only receive updates and information relevant to their journey. It could also mean, more excitingly, that you can hear the always-absent audio from TVs at the gym or in the airport bar. This ability to tune into what’s around you would make public audiovisual entertainment more viable.
It might also inject a new audio dimension to live events such as football matches. Fans could choose to listen in to commentators in one ear, even if only to understand what’s going on with the VAR check.
- Social possibilities & shared audio moments
Headphones today are about tuning out the world and listening to your own audio. What would it mean if you could listen to the same thing as those around you while also tuning in to the outside world? It would make headphones even more essential and important. It could also mean features and designs that allow people to hear what’s going on around them or talk to others – like bone-conducting headphones – become more appealing.
There are mixed possibilities for speakers. Auracast allows for multiple speakers to link up and connect to play in sync, with exciting potential for ecosystems. But Auracast could mean headphones step into more speaker occasions: maybe the local coffee shop offers a choice of playlists, the neighbour’s house party switches to a silent disco at 1am, or the office playlist gets relegated to an opt-in listen (Sarah if you’re reading this, I love the office playlist).
Software solutions and apps will be key to unlocking the social potential of Auracast. How can Spotify further enhance the fun of a social listening session for friends in their own world – voting for the next track? Could this spark a new guerilla radio movement? Tune in to the best broadcast in your tube carriage…
As consumer awareness of Auracast and its potential grows it will likely become an expected feature, even if only to reassure consumers they are buying futureproof products. Beyond that it could reshape the way we experience audio.
All told it’s pretty exciting stuff. My only note is that they should have named it after a Viking King.