Bluetooth is one of those perfect bits of technology that works so well you barely even notice it. Turn on your Bluetooth headphones and you can start listening to music from your phone or laptop without getting tangled up in wires. Once you’ve paired your headphones, there’s nothing more you need to do; just turn them on and start listening.
However, there’s much more that Bluetooth is capable of than just transmitting audio from your phone to your headphones. One of the most impressive implementations of the power of Bluetooth is Auracast, formerly known as Bluetooth Sharing Audio.
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While the original name was fairly unwieldy, it did at least give a hint of what Auracast can do. However, a key factor in the name change was that although Auracast does allow you to share audio with others over Bluetooth, there are a lot more use cases that have the potential to change how listeners consume what streaming has seemed to replace — public audio. What is Auracast, how does it work, and what do you need to use it? Here’s everything you need to know about Auracast.
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What is Auracast?
The simplest way to describe Auracast is to say that it’s a little like the Bluetooth equivalent of radio. Just like with a radio, a single transmitter can broadcast to an unlimited number of receivers. If you have a radio, you can tune in to the broadcast at any time, and whether there is a single person listening or a million, the signal remains unaffected.
Auracast works similarly, but uses Bluetooth. An Auracast transmitter can broadcast an audio signal over Bluetooth, and any compatible device can pick it up, as long as it’s within range. It doesn’t matter if one person is listening in or hundreds, the quality and latency of the signal won’t be affected. Multiple Auracast signals can be broadcast in the same location, and users can select which stream to listen to, just like choosing which station to listen to on a radio.
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How does Auracast work?
An Auracast transmitter broadcasts a Bluetooth signal that includes the audio data, but also identifying information such as the name of broadcast, type of content, the audio codec in use, and more. The broadcast can include multiple streams of audio for stereo sound.
A compatible device, such as a mobile phone or smartwatch with an Auracast app installed, acts as the Auracast assistant, picking up these Bluetooth signals and decoding them, allowing users to select the broadcast channel they want. The signal is then passed to the Auracast receiver, such as a pair of connected headphones, which play the audio stream.
How can I use Auracast? 4 major benefits and possibilities
The possibilities for using Auracast are extensive, but here are some of the most beneifical.
- Communal listening, but not watching: Imagine you’re in a sports bar, for example, with multiple screens showing different sports. If each screen is equipped with its own Auracast transmitter, you can select the audio feed for the screen you want to watch and listen to the game as well as watch it. The person next to you can listen to a completely different stream at the same time.
- Tuning into relevant information (and blocking out the rest): There are also benefits to use in public spaces. For example, at an airport, there are a huge number of announcements, most of which aren’t relevant to you. However, with Auracast, you can tune in to the broadcast for your specific departure gate, so that you only hear announcements that relate to the flight you’re waiting for.
- Traveling: If you’re traveling on a train or plane with your family, you might want to watch a movie together. Using Auracast, you can broadcast the audio from your laptop so that everyone can listen to the movie on their own headphones. You can password protect the Auracast stream, so that only those people with the password can access the stream.
- Public speaking: t’s all too easy to miss parts of a presentation if you’re sitting in the back, or the other people around you are being too noisy. By tuning in to an Auracast stream of the presentation’s audio, you can hear everything that is said no matter where you’re sitting or what other noise there may be.
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What devices support Auracast?
Auracast isn’t new; in fact, it’s been around for a couple of years. However, up until now, there were very few products or services that supported it. At CES 2024, Auracast was showcased, and caused quite a buzz, with many devices announced that support Auracast, and more in the pipeline.
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Both iOS and Android phones can be used as Auracast assistants, but currently you are limited to a small set of headphones that can work as Auracast receivers. Theoretically, any headphones that can run Bluetooth 5.2 or higher can support Auracast, but just because your headphones support Bluetooth 5.2 doesn’t mean they will support Auracast.
For example, AirPods Pro (2nd generation) support Bluetooth 5.3, but they don’t currently support Auracast. However, products such as the Galaxy Buds 2 Pro, Sennheiser’s Moment True Wireless 4 headphones, and JBL’s Extreme 4 headphones all can or will support Auracast, and more products should follow.
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What is the range for Auracast?
The range of an Auracast signal will depend on the transmitter. You’re unlikely to get a huge range if you’re broadcasting from a laptop, for example, but the technology is capable of broadcasting over an area of 30,000 square feet from a single transmitter with sufficient power. It doesn’t have the same large-scale coverage as radio, but it’s also a significantly wider range than the usual Bluetooth connection you have between your phone and your headphones, for example.
Can you listen to multiple Auracast streams?
It is possible for a single Auracast transmitter to carry more than one stream, making stereo audio possible. However, it should be the case in the future for you to be able to tune in to more than one stream at once, allowing you to listen to the audio feed for your departure gate at the same time as you listen to the audio feed for the TV in the airport lobby.
When will I be able to use Auracast?
You can use Auracast right now, provided that you have the right equipment. Even if your laptop doesn’t support Auracast, you can purchase a dongle that will work as an Auracast transmitter, and headphones that will work as Auracast receivers. However, to get the full benefit of Auracast, we’ll need to wait for more businesses or public spaces to adopt the technology. If CES 2024 was anything to go by, however, then this may be just around the corner.
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