Bluetooth Auracast: The Next Generation of Bluetooth Audio Broadcasting

Bluetooth Auracast is an exciting new audio broadcasting technology that is poised to change how we listen to audio on our devices. With Auracast, Bluetooth audio can be broadcast from one source device to many listening devices simultaneously, creating new possibilities for shared listening experiences.

What is Bluetooth Auracast?

Bluetooth Auracast is a new feature that is part of the Bluetooth LE Audio standard. It allows a single Bluetooth source device to transmit audio to multiple listening devices at the same time. This is accomplished through broadcasting the audio over Bluetooth rather than pairing one-to-one.

Some key things to know about Auracast:

One-to-many audio broadcasting: One source device can transmit audio to unlimited listening devices within range, similar to a radio broadcast.
Built on Bluetooth LE Audio: Auracast uses the new Bluetooth LE Audio protocol, bringing benefits like lower power consumption.
Seamless switching: Listeners can move in and out of range of the Auracast and their audio will automatically switch to and from their personal device playback.
Personal listening controls: Listeners can control the volume of the Auracast on their own device without affecting others.
Targeted broadcasting: Auracast transmitters can choose to broadcast to selected groups of devices only.

Benefits of Bluetooth Auracast

Here are some of the major benefits that Auracast broadcasting offers:

Shared listening: Auracast makes it easy to share audio experiences with those around you. Listen together with friends and family.
Audio accessibility: Auracast can help make audio more accessible in public spaces like airports, stores, and museums.
New commercial opportunities: Businesses can use Auracast for audio guides, in-store music, and targeted promotional offers.
Seamless audio: Auracast allows you to move seamlessly in and out of broadcast range without manually re-pairing devices.
Improved audio quality: Auracast uses high-quality audio codecs like LC3 for an enhanced listening experience.
Lower latency: Auracast has reduced audio latency compared to classic Bluetooth, improving audio/video sync.

Feature	Details
Launch Year	Part of Bluetooth LE Audio standard launched in 2020
Bluetooth Version	Bluetooth 5.2 or later
Audio Codec	Primarily LC3 codec
Maximum Connections	Unlimited listening devices
Range	Typical Bluetooth range, depends on transmitter power
Latency	Low, improves audio/video sync
Encryption	Yes, for security and privacy
Audio Quality	High fidelity, CD-quality or better
Infrastructure	Uses existing Bluetooth radio, no new infrastructure required
Transmit Power	Similar to Bluetooth Classic, adjustable based on use case
Compatibility	Backward compatible with most Bluetooth audio devices
Use Cases	Shared listening, audio guides, multi-room audio, public address systems

Auracast Use Cases

Here are some examples of how Bluetooth Auracast could be used:

In-store music and promotions: Retail stores can broadcast background music and targeted promotional offers.
Audio guides: Museums and galleries can transmit audio guides that visitors can tune into as they move around.
Shared listening: Friends can broadcast playlists from one phone to a group on a road trip or at home.
Public address systems: Airports, metro stations, and other spaces can replace PA systems with Auracast.
Assistive listening: Theaters and concert venues can broadcast audio amplification for those who need it.
Wireless multi-room audio: At home, Auracast could transmit music to multiple speakers at once.
Gaming: Auracast could transmit game audio to multiple wireless headsets for multiplayer gaming.
Language interpretation: Live interpreted audio could be broadcast at conferences and events to audience members needing translation.

Bluetooth Auracast Release Status

The Auracast broadcasting capability was introduced as part of Bluetooth LE Audio in January 2020. However, widespread availability in devices is still pending.

Here is a look at the current status of Auracast adoption:

January 2020: Introduced as part of the LE Audio standard by the Bluetooth SIG.
January 2022: Qualcomm announces support for Auracast in upcoming Snapdragon chips.
May 2022: MediaTek announces Auracast support in new Pentonic radio chips.
July 2022: Anker announces upcoming Soundcore multi-room speakers with Auracast.
Late 2022: Auracast expected to roll out in hearables and speakers with new LE Audio chipsets.
2023: Potential wider adoption in phones, tablets, PCs, and TVs. Mainstream support may take 12-18 months.

So in summary, the hardware capability exists but consumer devices with Auracast are still ramping up. It may take until 2023 or 2024 before Auracast sees mass adoption. But the long-term potential is very promising.

How Auracast Works

Under the hood, here is a high-level look at how the Auracast broadcasting functionality works with Bluetooth LE Audio:

The audio source encodes the audio using the LC3 codec then broadcasts it via the Auracast protocol.
Nearby devices receive the broadcast and decode the audio also using LC3.
Auracast manages the broadcast audio level based on listening device proximity to the transmitter.
Listeners can control the volume on their device without affecting the source broadcast level.
Listeners can seamlessly move in and out of broadcast range thanks to Auracast intelligent switching with Bluetooth pairing.
Targeted broadcasts are possible using Auracast groups filtered by device capabilities or user preferences.
Encryption provides privacy and prevents eavesdropping on Auracast content.
Lower latency transmission between devices improves audio/video synchronization.

In this way, Auracast provides an efficient one-to-many audio broadcasting system using robust modern Bluetooth technologies.

Comparison to Other Audio Broadcast Standards

How does Bluetooth Auracast compare to other audio broadcasting technologies? Here is an overview:

vs Bluetooth BR/EDR: Classic Bluetooth only supports point-to-point audio to a single device. Auracast enables broadcasting to unlimited listeners.
vs Wi-Fi: Wi-Fi audio streaming requires a fixed wired infrastructure while Auracast uses wireless Bluetooth between devices.
vs FM radio: Auracast provides CD-quality audio versus FM radio’s lower fidelity transmission. Auracast also features two-way communication for listener control.
vs DAB+: Unlike the digital DAB+ standard, Auracast uses existing Bluetooth radio systems so requires no new infrastructure.
vs Ultra Wideband (UWB): UWB provides higher bandwidth but requires compatible hardware. Auracast works over regular Bluetooth 4.2 or 5 and up.

So in summary, Auracast offers reliability, quality, and compatibility advantages over these other wireless audio broadcast options.

Bluetooth Auracast ushers in a new era of short-range wireless audio broadcasting. With the ability to transmit audio from one device to an unlimited number of listeners, Auracast could transform use cases from personal listening to public address systems. Support is ramping up across the Bluetooth ecosystem and consumer availability is on the horizon. The next time you and some friends want to share music together on the go, Auracast could provide the ideal blend of convenience, quality, and ubiquity. This exciting innovation proves that even at over 20 years old, Bluetooth still has some new tricks up its sleeve.