Today, the Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG) announced the completion of the full set of LE Audio specifications, enabling the release of products supporting the next generation of Bluetooth® audio. LE Audio improves wireless audio performance, adds support for hearing aids, and introduces Auracast™ broadcast audio, a new Bluetooth capability that will enhance the way we engage with others and the world around us.
“Today is a proud day for the Bluetooth SIG member community,” said Mark Powell, CEO of the Bluetooth SIG. “Our members overcame the many challenges placed on them these past few years to complete the largest specification development project in the history of the Bluetooth SIG. LE Audio extends the boundaries of what’s possible for the wireless audio market, including the introduction of Auracast™ broadcast audio, a new Bluetooth capability that promises to deliver life-changing audio experiences to consumers, bringing friends and family closer together and making public locations more accessible and enjoyable for all. I can’t wait to see the innovation LE Audio brings.”
The promise of LE Audio and the impact the adoption of the full LE Audio specification suite will have on industry forecasts is already reflected in this year’s Bluetooth Market Update.
Higher Quality at Lower Power
LE Audio provides higher audio quality at lower power, enabling audio developers to meet increasing consumer performance demands and drive continuous growth across the audio peripheral market (headset, earbuds, etc.). Thanks, in part, to LE Audio, analysts predict in the 2022 Bluetooth Market Update that by 2026, annual Bluetooth earbud shipments will climb to 619 million, making up 66 percent of all wireless headsets.
The lower power capabilities of LE Audio will also enable new types of audio peripherals — such as a wider range of Bluetooth® enabled hearing aids — and allow greater flexibility for better form factors. With LE Audio, smaller, less intrusive, more comfortable hearing devices will emerge, enhancing the lives of those with hearing loss.
FEATURED DOWNLOAD
Introducing Bluetooth® LE Audio
Download your free digital copy and find out how LE Audio will change the way we design and use audio.
FREE DOWNLOAD
Auracast™ Broadcast Audio
LE Audio adds Auracast™ broadcast audio, a new capability that will enable an audio source transmitter (e.g., a smartphone) to broadcast one or more audio streams to an unlimited number of audio receivers (e.g., earbuds, speakers, hearing aids, etc.).
The introduction of Auracast™ broadcast audio opens significant new opportunities for wireless audio innovation. It will let us invite others to share in our audio experience, it will enable us to fully enjoy televisions in public spaces, unmuting what was once silent and creating a more complete watching experience, and it will allow us to hear our best in various public venues and environments. Over 60 million locations have the long-term potential to benefit from deploying Auracast™ broadcast audio.
“With broadcast audio, you’ll suddenly find that you can listen to anything, anywhere,” said Chris Church, senior staff engineer at Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. “I think we won’t truly appreciate how useful broadcast audio will be until people are using it every day. Much like when your internet goes down, when you start to experience a network without broadcast audio in a few years’ time, you’ll quickly wonder where has it gone and how did you manage to live without it for so long.”
Future Wireless Audio Innovation
In addition to introducing new features to Bluetooth audio, LE Audio offers a new, flexible architecture that provides an ideal platform for future wireless audio innovation, and work within the Bluetooth SIG is already underway to bring additional LE Audio features and capabilities to market.
Qualification for consumer products seeking to add support for LE Audio is now enabled. Initial consumer products supporting LE Audio, including those with Auracast™ broadcast audio, are expected to come to market in the coming months, and LE Audio product availability is expected to ramp up as we approach the holiday season and end of the year.
“We don’t really know how it’s going to all come together in this new ecosystem, but the sky’s the limit and I’m looking forward to all the innovations that will come.”
– Jeff Solum, Starkey Hearing Technologies
Access a library of technical resources including a book, videos, study guides, and more designed to help you get familiar with the new LE Audio architecture, the individual specifications, and the capabilities LE Audio brings, including Auracast™ broadcast audio.
Source:
Just Announced: The Complete Suite of Bluetooth LE Audio Specifications Is Now Available | Bluetooth® Technology Website
Today, the Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG) announced the completion of the full set of Bluetooth LE Audio specifications, enabling the release of products supporting the next generation of…
www.bluetooth.com
