It’s only been a few months, but the release of Auracast™ broadcast audio is already having a major impact across the audio market. With the promise of letting users share audio, unmuting silent TVs, and helping everyone hear their best, Auracast™ broadcast audio will enhance how we engage with others and the world around us.

Auracast assistive listening

Recently, the International Federation of Hard of Hearing People (IFHOH) published a declaration praising the Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG) for its work with the European Hearing Instrument Manufactures Association (EHIMA) in creating Auracast™ broadcast audio, “a wireless universal technology…that promises to assist hard of hearing individuals to hear better in venues where hearing aids and cochlear implants are insufficient to function.”

With 61 million establishments globally that could take advantage of Auracast™ broadcast audio, according to ABI Research, this new Bluetooth® capability is projected to provide significant benefits to those with hearing loss. Industry experts anticipate Auracast™ broadcast audio will become the next-generation assistive listening system (ALS), and its ability to function in tandem with existing ALS solutions will enhance accessibility for a wider range of people with hearing loss.

“IFHOH praises the Bluetooth SIG for its work with EHIMA toward creating a wireless universal technology, known as Auracast, that promises to assist hard of hearing individuals to hear better in venues where hearing aids and cochlear implants are insufficient to function.” 
– Budapest Declaration, IFHOH World Congress 2022

Assistive Listening Today

For decades, assistive listening systems (ALS), such as hearing loops, FM, and IR , have provided great benefits to people with hearing loss. Telecoils built into hearing devices allow users to access audio within a hearing loop without the need for a separate receiver. This longstanding technology enables hearing aid users to access assistive audio in public locations, such as theaters, train stations, places of worship, and countertop conversations. However, these technologies are not without their challenges, and deployment is primarily driven by regulatory requirements.  

Auracast™ broadcast audio has the potential to solve many of these challenges, being highly reliable and flexible while being relatively inexpensive to deploy. A low-impact alternative that benefits a wider range of visitors in public spaces will incentivize venues to install it, bringing greater accessibility to more hearing aid users.

Does that mean Auracast™ broadcast audio will become the new ALS standard?

ON-DEMAND WEBINAR

What Product Developers & Public Locations Need to Know About Auracast™ Broadcast Audio

Watch this discussion on how Auracast™ broadcast audio will introduce new opportunities for wireless audio developers and allow public locations to enhance their visitor satisfaction while increasing audio accessibility for all.

WATCH NOW

Is Bluetooth Technology the New Standard for ALS?

Many experts throughout the industry see the potential for Auracast™ broadcast audio to be the next-generation ALS. There’s a good probability that this will eventually come to fruition. However, complete market saturation could take years, maybe even decades, to realize.

In the interim, the coexistence of Auracast™ broadcast audio and existing ALS solutions is critical for hearing aid users, and the IFHOH recommends that manufacturers of hearing aids and cochlear implants continue to integrate telecoils in their products. As the IFHOH’s Budapest Declaration states, “it is important to have both telecoil and Auracast™ technologies in hearing aids and cochlear implants until most hard of hearing users will feel they can rely on the new Auracast™ technology.”

“IFHOH foresees a world where FM, IR, and hearing loop systems (including those found in taxis, ticket counters, airports, theatres, etc.) will function for the foreseeable future alongside Auracast™ systems. Therefore, all assistive listening systems, hearing aids, and cochlear implants need to be Auracast™ broadcast audio + telecoil compatible.” 
– Budapest Declaration, IFHOH World Congress 2022

Industry Support for Auracast™ Broadcast Audio + Telecoil

For the foreseeable future, the IFHOH expects to see current ALS technologies functioning alongside systems that include Auracast™ broadcast audio.

The declaration published by the IFHOH summarizes this very message – acknowledging the potential of Auracast™ broadcast audio while advocating for the continued inclusion of telecoil in future hearing aids. As noted in the IFHOH’s Budapest Declaration, “IFHOH foresees a world where FM, IR, and hearing loop systems (including those found in taxis, ticket counters, airports, theatres, etc.) will function for the foreseeable future alongside Auracast™ systems. Therefore, all assistive listening systems, hearing aids, and cochlear implants need to be Auracast™ broadcast audio + telecoil compatible.”

The Future of Assistive Listening

The future of assistive listening will include Auracast™ broadcast audio. There is no doubt of that. The Budapest Declaration from the IFHOH acknowledges as much. But complete market saturation for universal audio accessibility in public spaces will take some time. The Bluetooth SIG agrees with the IFHOH – the coexistence of Auracast™ broadcast audio with existing technology will be essential to enhancing audio experiences for hearing aid users while offering them greater accessibility in public locations.

FEATURED INNOVATION

Auracast™ Broadcast Audio

Auracast™ broadcast audio will deliver life-changing audio experiences that will enhance the way you engage with others and the world around you.

LEARN MORE

The State of Sound: Soundbites

In this Soundbites edition, we focus on the role of Bluetooth® LE Audio in…

Top 10 Auracast™ Resources

It’s been almost a year since the Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG) released Auracast™…

Answers to Commonly Asked Questions About Auracast™ Broadcast Audio

Bluetooth® technology now supports Auracast™ broadcast audio, a new capability that enables an audio transmitter…

How Auracast Broadcast Audio Technology Will Help You Engage With the World and Those Around You

Bluetooth SIG’s Ken Kolderup shares why you should be excited about LE Audio, and…

2023 Will Usher in a New Era for Wireless Audio

“ABI Research expects the wireless and assistive listening industries to rapidly embrace LE Audio…

Bluetooth LE Audio Market: Opportunities and Challenges

The arrival of Bluetooth Low Energy (LE) Audio is set to transform the audio…

Improving Latency and Broadening Audio Horizons With LE Audio

LE Audio is the next generation of audio performance. Improving lives and audio experiences,…

The AuracastTM Experience is a favorite at Mobile World Congress Barcelona 2023

Join Gadgetsboy Tomi Adebayo as he shares firsthand why Auracast™️ broadcast audio was a…

The Bluetooth SIG Hosts The Auracast™ Experience at MWC Barcelona 2023

Last year, the Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG) released Auracast™ broadcast audio. This next…

Low Energy Audio – Incoming Call Over Media (Multi-Device)

This document uses a Message Sequence Chart (MSC) to explain the Bluetooth® LE Audio…

Snapdragon Sound Drives Premium Sound Experiences In Audio Technica’s Latest Wireless Earphones

Audio Technica is one of the world’s most recognized audio brands with a mission…

Bluetooth® Core Specification Version 5.4 - Technical Overview

This feature overview summarizes and explains the updates introduced in Bluetooth®️ Core Specification Version…

The Switch from Bluetooth® Classic to Bluetooth® LE Audio

Bluetooth isn’t just for wireless speakers — audio providers are expanding Bluetooth use cases…

Upgrade Wireless Mic System To Support Auracast™ Via VOCE

Want to upgrade your wireless microphone system to support Auracast™? As long as there…

LE Audio: The Future of Bluetooth® Audio

ABI Research outlines how the arrival of LE Audio is set to transform the Bluetooth audio ecosystem and the impact it will have on Bluetooth® audio market forecasts.

Sizing the Opportunity for Auracast™ Broadcast Audio in Public Locations

Featuring data and research from Strategy Analytics, this report helps readers and decision makers…

Bluetooth audio’s biggest upgrade in years is coming soon to headphones

We’re on the cusp of a new generation of wireless headphones that are more…

Bluetooth SIG Announces Auracast™ Broadcast Audio, Allowing Unlimited Audio Sharing to Earbuds, Speakers or Hearing Devices

The Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG), the trade association that oversees Bluetooth® technology, today…

Auracast is coming to Bluetooth, boosting movement, inclusion, and participation for hearing device users

The Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG), the standards mover and shaker for the short-range…

2022 Bluetooth Market Update

Featuring new market insights and industry forecasts from ABI Research and other analyst firms...

Introducing Bluetooth® LE Audio

Now available for free digital download, get your copy of this in-depth, technical overview of the LE Audio specifications.

 Get Help