Gadget Weekly
Be a part of Namerah Saud Fatmi as she explores the cool, quirky, and typically downright odd world of smartphone equipment, devices, and different nerdy toys each week.
Android 15 is on its solution to an Android cellphone close to you, and whereas Google continues releasing early builds to builders, the most recent Android 15 preview revealed a promising function for music lovers like myself. It appears to be like like Bluetooth audio sharing throughout gadgets is perhaps out there natively as soon as the brand new platform replace rolls out, and I could not be extra excited.
Listening to music on a Bluetooth speaker is fulfilling, nevertheless it’s not all the time best. Typically, you and your pal or companion would possibly need to hearken to the identical audio and nonetheless need some privateness. Within the days earlier than the arrival of TWS Bluetooth earbuds, such situations would often contain sharing a pair of wired earphones or utilizing an AUX splitter.
Sadly, the three.5mm audio port is severely endangered at this level. This implies watching the identical film or YouTube video on a cellphone or pill with somebody requires you to make use of the gadget’s audio system or give one wi-fi earbud to every particular person. And in the event you’re sporting over-ear headphones, it is merely not potential.
I do not learn about you, however I discover this to be annoying time and time once more. Each infrequently, my husband and I bicker over who will get which earbud when watching one thing or listening to music. This often occurs after we’re touring.
Samsung rolled out a nifty answer for this a few years in the past. The function is named Twin Audio, and many of the manufacturers’ telephones have it. You may join two audio gadgets to a cellphone by way of Bluetooth and stream the identical audio to each concurrently. This may be headphones, earbuds, or audio system, so long as your Samsung cellphone and the audio gadget have Bluetooth 5.0 or greater. There is a two-device limitation, nevertheless it’s nonetheless a good way to look at one thing or hearken to one thing with somebody.
Non-Samsung Android telephones don’t include this function. This received me pondering, and I discovered it unusual that they do not as a result of Multipoint connection has been round for a number of years now. Since you’re already in a position to join a number of gadgets to a single cellphone by way of Bluetooth on the identical time, why not add the flexibility to push audio playback directly, too?
I used to be curious, so I did a little bit digging. Seems issues are a little bit extra sophisticated than that. Multipoint revolves across the potential to obtain audio from a number of sources. With the ability to join and output to a number of gadgets concurrently requires completely different technical specs, which can clarify why solely Samsung telephones have Twin audio. The precise working particulars of this are nonetheless fuzzy, and I’ve reached out to Samsung for extra particulars on how the corporate is ready to get Twin Audio engaged on its gadgets, however I didn’t obtain a response in time for publication. Nevertheless, I’ll replace the article as soon as I get extra data. Nevertheless, it is clear that compatibility performs a job right here.
Samsung’s Twin Audio is an algorithmic optimization that makes it potential for Bluetooth 5.0 and better gadgets to stream audio output to 2 gadgets concurrently. Whereas it has been round from the period of the Galaxy S8, Samsung improved the function and highlighted it extra from the Galaxy S21 sequence onwards.
Samsung is not the one one with this function although. Apple telephones have an analogous audio-sharing function, and identical to Samsung, gadgets should assist Bluetooth 5.0 or above. iPhones can share audio to a number of audio gadgets by way of Bluetooth.
Now, as noticed within the Android 15 developer preview, it appears to be like like extra Android customers will have the ability to share their cellphone’s audio playback to a number of gadgets. Though the function was not functioning within the preview on the time of writing, it did show an choice to share the audio with “everybody,” additional main us to imagine that there won’t be a mere two-device restrict, which may be very thrilling.
Based mostly on every part proven, I assume the function relies on Bluetooth Auracast expertise. Auracast was beforehand referred to as Audio Sharing, nevertheless it underwent a facelift very just lately.
Bluetooth SIG launched the brand new and improved model of the function in June 2022, however we had but to see any gadgets launch with it till just lately, once more, because of Samsung and One UI 6.1, which just lately rolled out to pick out Galaxy flagships. Auracast was additionally proven off at CES 2024, following which a number of Samsung gadgets, such because the Galaxy Buds 2 Professional, had been up to date to assist it.
The very best half about Bluetooth Auracast is that it has no gadget limitation; you may broadcast audio output to as many gadgets as you want with it. And because it requires Bluetooth LE Audio and Bluetooth 5.2 to work, it is secure to imagine that it will not devour as a lot energy as Bluetooth Traditional.
As we draw nearer to the estimated July launch of Android 15, my hopes are getting greater and better. Google usually picks up Samsung’s most in-demand options and merges them into Android. Fast Share is one such instance, and audio sharing over Bluetooth could possibly be the following one to observe swimsuit.
I am banking on Google to popularize this function and convey it to all Android customers. If the audio-sharin function is certainly powered by Bluetooth Auracast, it will be much more helpful and versatile.
All of the indicators are there; I simply hope it performs out as seamlessly because it did in my head. This might change the way in which we use our wi-fi audio devices in such an enormous means, so it might be a darn disgrace if incompatibility or different points held it again.