Auracast audio sharing technology is now available in the best wireless earbuds and the best Bluetooth speakers, giving a huge boost to Bluetooth connectivity and the way we listen to our personal devices in public spaces

Following my article covering the first announcements made by the Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG) in mid-2022, one of the best new wireless audio features introduced in the last few years is finally being The rollout is set to take place [Specifically, Sennheiser's Momentum True Wireless 4 noise-canceling earphones ($326 / £259 / A$479), which were announced at CES 2024 and will be available on March 1, and JBL s portable speakers, the Xtreme 4, Clip 5, and Go 4, which were also announced at CES and will be available in mid-March

JBL and Sennheiser are just two of the first audio manufacturers to integrate audio sharing technologies More brands and models are expected to support Auracast in the coming months

Auracast has been slow to make its way into audio products, but is part of the latest Bluetooth LE (Low Energy) standard, which brought the LC3 audio codec with more efficient signal processing capabilities than the "standard" SBC stream

Formerly called Audio Sharing, Auracast allows transmitting devices such as smartphones, laptops, and TVs to stream "to an unlimited number of nearby audio devices" In other words, listeners can share what they are listening to (or watching) via Bluetooth headphones, earphones, speakers, and other Auracast-enabled devices

Public transmitters with Auracast are said to be able to broadcast audio to compatible Bluetooth audio devices as far away from home as 330 feet (about 100 meters) or more This would be a boon to headphone wearers who could listen to announcements in public spaces such as airports and train stations, or connect to content display devices such as televisions in public waiting rooms

Multiple Auracast streams can be broadcast simultaneously on different channels in the same area, just as radio and television broadcasters do They simply select the stream of their choice, just as they would select a radio station to listen to or a channel to watch on television

Samsung is one of the leading brands to incorporate Auracast receivers into its products; Auracast models include the Neo QLED 8K series TVs, the Galaxy Tab S8 tablet, and the Galaxy S24 and S24 Ultra smartphones Although supported by Android 13 and 14, the number of Auracast receiving devices is still quite small

Support for iOS devices is unknown, but the fact that two major audio brands have adopted Auracast means that many other brands are likely to follow suit In fact, all Bluetooth devices will include LE Audio and Auracast support by default as part of the Bluetooth 53 standard and beyond

While I have yet to experience Auracast with Sennheiser's Momentum TW4 earphones (stay tuned for a full review), I already see it bringing accessibility and assisted listening to the next level, as well as bringing significant benefits to hearing aid users I see it

As more devices adopt the Bluetooth 53 standard, Auracast will be more widely implemented, making it easier and more enjoyable to share a common audio experience with multiple people