Apple is ‘super excited’ about Auracast, and this ASX-listed company is all ears

• Auracast turns venues into personal sound zones
• Apple and Google backing Auracast; JBL joins the wave
• Auracast and Audeara could be a lifeline for those with hearing difficulties

Imagine walking into the Sydney Opera House, taking your seat, and instead of craning your neck to hear the singer’s voice bounce off the walls, you tap a button on your phone.

Instantly, the sound streams directly to your earbuds – crisp, clear, like the singer is right next to you. No distortion, no background noise, just perfect audio.

Welcome to the world of Auracast, the potentially next big leap in Bluetooth technology.

Developed by the Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG), Auracast allows a single audio source to broadcast sound to an unlimited number of devices simultaneously.

Think of it like a wi-fi network for your ears.

The Sydney Opera House has already rolled out Auracast for its Drama Theatre, Playhouse, and Studio venues, with the main Concert Hall likely next in line.

But it’s not just for the fine concert-goers; Auracast is built for the chaos of everyday life, too.

Picture this: you’re crammed onto a packed train platform. Announcements are booming overhead, but getting swallowed by the roar of commuters.

With Auracast, you just pull out your phone, select the platform announcement channel, and it streams directly to your earbuds.

Or maybe you’re at an airport. Boarding calls are firing off, but you’re two gates away, grabbing a coffee.

Normally, you’d be sprinting back, hoping you didn’t just miss your flight. With Auracast, you tap the ‘Gate 12 Boarding’ stream and it’s like the attendant is whispering the update straight into your ears.

Even sports bars could be getting a makeover. Imagine half a dozen screens blasting different matches.

Normally, you’d be leaning in, straining to catch the commentary, hoping the drunk guy next to you isn’t louder than the speakers.

Not with Auracast. You just tap into the game you want, and you’ve got a front-row seat at the stadium.

Apple and Android jumping in

Here’s where it could get even bigger. Apple has hinted that it’s “super excited” about Auracast.

While they haven’t locked in a date, insiders are buzzing that future AirPods could support Auracast tech, essentially pushing hundreds of millions of compatible devices into the market overnight.

Google wants in, too. The new Android 16 Beta 3 already supports Auracast, setting the stage for a massive rollout across smartphones.

If all this happens, and the tech world seems to think it will, Auracast might suddenly become a household name.

Venues will rush to install it. TV manufacturers will scramble to include it.

Some music devices makers like JBL are already saying goodbye to their speakers and rolling out Auracast in their new lineup.

A lifeline for the hard of hearing

Now, for people with hearing difficulties, Auracast is more than a cool feature, it could be a game changer.

It means no more missed boarding calls, no more garbled platform announcements, and no more struggling to catch the details at live events.

For many, it would be the difference between being part of the moment and being left out of it.

And this is where hearing-tech players like Audeara (ASX:AUA) could come charging in.

The timing couldn’t be sweeter, because personalisation is Audeara’s entire game.

Audeara’s technology customises sound based on each user’s specific hearing profile. The company’s Bluetooth headphones, which double as hearing test devices, are designed to adjust only the frequencies that a user needs to hear more clearly.

It’s much like prescription glasses, which are tailored to fit the specific needs of each individual.

Also read: Audeara looks to reshape hearing tech as it prepares to scale up

Now imagine all that technology with Auracast baked in.

Tap into the Auracast stream, and Audeara’s headphones tune the sound perfectly to match your hearing.

When you think about it, it’s actually quite revolutionary; and it’s a perfect fit with Audeara’s licensing strategy.

Dr James Fielding, Audeara’s CEO, has been clear that the company’s licensing model is how it plans to scale. Auracast could make that scale-up much easier.

Big brands looking to tap into Auracast’s potential could license Audeara’s tech instead of building their own.

And this could be plug-and-play personalisation for the new Bluetooth era.

At Stockhead we tell it like it is. While Audeara is a Stockhead advertiser, it did not sponsor this article.
This story does not constitute financial product advice. You should consider obtaining independent advice before making any financial decision.