Bluetooth LE Audio: support for broadcast, audio sharing and hearing-impaired devices
New specifications are coming in the second half of the year to improve audio transmission over the Bluetooth protocol, with new features to enrich the user experience.
The Bluetooth Special Interest Group today announced the launch of LE Audio, the next-generation Bluetooth audio specification. LE Audio will bring new and improved Bluetooth audio performance, will add support for Audio Sharing, and will also support assistive devices for those who are suffering from some form of hearing impairment.
LE Audio is characterized by a new high quality and low consumption audio codec that will improve performance and energy consumption by providing high-quality audio even at low bandwidth.
Developers will be able to create audio products capable of providing greater operational autonomy, or of smaller dimensions with the same autonomy.
Thanks to the support of multi-stream audio transmissions, Bluetooth LE Audio will allow the transfer of multiple independent audio streams between a source and one or more speakers, be they headphones or speakers.
The new standard promises to improve the performance of wireless headsets, with a better and more convincing sound scene in stereo, also making it easier to use voice assistance services and switch from one audio source to another.
Then there is the Broadcast Audio functionality that allows a source to transmit one or more audio streams in broadcast mode to an unlimited number of devices, creating a real audio sharing situation that will allow users to share their musical experience with other people, for example, to listen to music from the same smartphone.
The new specifications also provide a feature based on geographic localization that will allow public places such as bars, airports, gyms, and cinemas to share audio to ” increase the audience experience. ”
” The geographic location-based audio sharing feature has the potential to change the way we live the world around us. For example, people will be able to select the audio that is transmitted by silent TVs in public places and places like theaters and halls. Readers will be able to share audio to assist visitors with hearing loss and provide audio in different languages, ” said Peter Liu of Bose Corporation and member of the board of directors of Bluetooth SIG.
The final LE Audio specifications will be released in the second half of 2020. More information on the new Bluetooth LE Audio is available on the Bluetooth Special Interest Group website.
