Auracast
 Auracast Symbol | |
| Developed by | Bluetooth Special Interest Group |
|---|---|
| Industry | Wireless communication Assistive technology |
| Compatible hardware | |
| Short-range wireless | |
Auracast is a broadcast audio feature of Bluetooth Low Energy (LE Audio) that enables a single transmitting device to stream audio to multiple compatible receivers simultaneously, including hearing aids, headphones, earbuds, and smartphones.[1][2] It is a trademark owned by the Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG).[3]
Auracast forms part of the Bluetooth LE Audio standard introduced with Bluetooth 5.2 and represents a departure from traditional Bluetooth audio connections, which typically rely on one-to-one device pairing.[2]
History
[edit]Development of Auracast began in the early 2010s within the Bluetooth SIG following collaboration with hearing aid manufacturers seeking improved wireless audio streaming with lower power consumption and broader compatibility.[1]
A key requirement was the ability to deliver the same audio stream to multiple users simultaneously, unlike earlier Bluetooth implementations that supported only point-to-point connections.[1] These efforts contributed to the development of Bluetooth LE Audio, within which Auracast provides broadcast audio functionality.[2]
By the mid-2020s, Auracast began to be implemented in consumer devices and tested in public environments such as airports and event venues.[4]
Technology
[edit]Auracast implements public audio broadcasting services, allowing multiple receivers to connect to a single audio transmitter without going through the Bluetooth device pairing process.[3]
It is based on Bluetooth LE Audio and supports transmission of one or more audio streams to potentially unlimited receivers within range.[1]
| Transmitter | Receiver | Assistant | |
|---|---|---|---|
| BAP | Source | Sink | Assistant |
| PBP | |||
| CAP | Initiator | Acceptor | Commander |
| TMAP | Sender | Receiver | N/a |
| HAP | N/a | Hearing aid | N/a |
Auracast is defined through a set of Bluetooth LE profiles and services:[3]
- Basic Audio Profile (BAP) 1.0.1[5]
- Public Broadcast Profile (PBP) 1.0[6]
- Common Audio Profile (CAP) 1.0[7]
- Telephony and Media Audio Profile (TMAP) 1.0[8]
- Hearing Access Profile (HAP) 1.0[9]
- Broadcast Audio Scan Service (BASS) 1.0[10]
- Published Audio Capabilities Service (PACS) 1.0.1[11]
Auracast transmitters use Bluetooth advertising to broadcast metadata about available audio streams, including stream name, type of content, and language.[12]
Compatible devices can display this information or automatically connect to selected streams based on user preferences.[12]
Bluetooth LE–enabled smartphones can function as assistants, allowing users to discover, select, and control audio streams on connected receivers such as headphones or hearing aids.[3]
Auracast also supports Broadcast Audio Uniform Resource Identifiers (URIs), marketed as "Scan to Listen", which allow users to connect to specific audio streams via QR code or near-field communication (NFC).[13]
Applications
[edit]Auracast is used in both consumer and public environments.
Accessibility
[edit]Auracast enables direct audio streaming to hearing aids and assistive listening devices, improving speech intelligibility in noisy environments compared to older technology such as an Audio induction loop.[2]
Public infrastructure
[edit]Auracast can be used to deliver announcements and audio content in shared spaces such as airports, transport systems, lecture halls, and entertainment venues. In 2026, Frankfurt Airport conducted a trial deployment of Auracast to stream gate announcements directly to passengers' personal devices.[4]
Consumer electronics
[edit]Auracast functionality is being incorporated into smartphones, computers, televisions, and wireless audio devices. Some platforms, such as Windows 11, have introduced Bluetooth LE Audio–based audio-sharing features supporting multiple simultaneous connections.[14]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ a b c d "The story of Auracast broadcast audio". Bluetooth SIG. 2026-03-12. Retrieved 2026-03-30.
- ^ a b c d "The history of Bluetooth and the new Auracast". Hears Hearing & Hearables. Retrieved 2026-03-30.
- ^ a b c d e "Auracast - For Developers". Bluetooth SIG. Retrieved 2026-01-13.
- ^ a b "Frankfurt Airport Bluetooth Auracast trial accessibility". Aerospace Global News. 2026-01-30. Retrieved 2026-03-30.
- ^ "Basic Audio Profile 1.0.1". Bluetooth SIG. 2022-06-21. Retrieved 2026-01-13.
- ^ "Public Broadcast Profile 1.0". Bluetooth SIG. 2022-07-05. Retrieved 2026-01-13.
- ^ "Common Audio Profile 1.0". Bluetooth SIG. Retrieved 2026-01-13.
- ^ "Telephony and Media Audio Profile 1.0". Bluetooth SIG. 2022-06-11. Retrieved 2026-01-13.
- ^ "Hearing Access Profile 1.0". Bluetooth SIG. 2022-06-07. Retrieved 2026-01-13.
- ^ "Broadcast Audio Scan Service 1.0". Bluetooth SIG. 2022-06-07. Retrieved 2026-01-13.
- ^ "Published Audio Capabilities Service 1.0.1". Bluetooth SIG. 2022-06-21. Retrieved 2026-01-13.
- ^ a b Nick Hunn (2024). Introducing Bluetooth LE Audio (2nd edition). BLEAudio.com. Retrieved 2026-01-13.
- ^ "A New Bluetooth Audio Scan-to-Listen Experience". Bluetooth SIG. Retrieved 2026-01-13.
- ^ "Latest Windows 11 update brings Bluetooth LE Audio sharing and Auracast features". Android Headlines. 2026-02-12. Retrieved 2026-03-30.