Your Android Phone Just Got A Big Bluetooth Upgrade For Free - What's New

3 days ago

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ZDNET's cardinal takeaways

Auracast support rolls retired to much smartphones and headphones.
You tin stock your phone's audio pinch 1 aliases galore friends.
Your telephone and headphones must support Auracast to entree nan feature.

If you've been waiting for exertion to germinate truthful you tin easy stock audio from 1 instrumentality to 2 headphones pinch less instrumentality ecosystem barriers, nan time has come. Google's caller update to Android expands Bluetooth LE Audio to much smartphones and headphones, allowing audio sharing betwixt much user audio brands and smartphone models.

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How does LE Audio Auracast work?

Bluetooth LE Audio is nan Bluetooth protocol that supports Bluetooth Auracast, which is nan audio-sharing technology. If your headphones and smartphone support Auracast, you tin stock audio pinch friends.

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Auracast allows 1 instrumentality to broadcast audio to an infinite number of Auracast-supported audio receivers, truthful you tin privately stock your phone's audio pinch 1 friend aliases pinch a group of friends. Whatever audio plays connected your telephone -- music, movies, podcasts, TikTok, aliases YouTube videos -- will broadcast into your friends' headphones.

Once you statesman an audio broadcast connected your phone, your friends tin subordinate by scanning your phone's broadcast QR codification aliases via Google Fast Pair.

Which smartphones support LE Audio Auracast?

Auracast connected nan Google Pixel 9 Pro

Bluetooth Auracast is constricted to prime smartphones, including nan Google Pixel 8 and newer, and nan Samsung Galaxy S23, S24, and S25. The Galaxy Z Fold 5, Z Fold 6, and Z Fold 7 besides support nan feature. Select Xiaomi and Poco phones besides support LE Audio Auracast, though these phones are not straight supported by US carriers.

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More smartphones supporting LE Audio Auracast mean location are much ways for group to usage Auracast too backstage audio sharing. Earlier this year, Google announced Bluetooth Auracast support for compatible smartphones and proceeding aids. This update expanded support to let users to link compatible audio devices to privately perceive to nationalist broadcasts and link to those broadcasts pinch their Google Pixel 9 via QR code.

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Now, much devices tin entree and privately perceive to nationalist broadcasts astatine participating gyms, theaters, airports, museums, and auditoriums via QR code. Device support continues to expand, but wide venue take is slower.

Which headphones and earbuds support LE Audio Auracast?

The database of headphones and earbuds includes nan Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro, JBL Tour One M3, Sennheiser Accentum True Wireless, and more. Additionally, Google's announcement said Android's LE Audio capabilities are disposable connected Sony headphones. For now, nan WF-1000XM5 earbuds are nan only instrumentality documented connected Bluetooth's Auracast instrumentality list.

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For Bluetooth LE Auracast to work, your smartphone broadcasting nan audio and nan headphones receiving nan audio must beryllium compatible pinch nan technology.