The Most Exciting Bluetooth Feature in Years Is Flying Under the Radar

It’s been a few years since Bluetooth technology known as Auracast made its debut, enabling devices like earbuds, headphones, speakers, and hearing aids to connect to a single source without the hassle of pairing. Think of it like tuning into a radio station; you just need to connect to the right broadcast. This could be anything from flight announcements at the airport to a teacher’s microphone during a lecture, or even the TV you’re watching while working out at the gym.

Auracast enhances auditory accessibility for those who are hard of hearing, allowing users to filter out relevant information in noisy environments. While Auracast is available now, many tech companies have yet to fully embrace it, and some barely mention it even when it’s integrated into their products.

Since 2023, the Bluetooth Special Interest Group (Bluetooth SIG) has showcased Auracast’s features in exclusive meetings at CES. However, interest tends to fade, and the audio world moves on for nearly a year until the cycle repeats. Recently, there’s been a surge in announcements, with Sony introducing what it calls Audio Sharing support, utilizing Auracast in its XM5 and XM6 headphones, along with support in recent devices from Google, Samsung, and OnePlus. But it’s easy to overlook these updates.

JBL stands out as one of the few companies that actively promotes the Auracast capabilities of its compatible products, leading some to mistakenly believe it’s exclusive to JBL. Their Bluetooth speakers, like the Charge 6, Clip 5, and PartyBox Stage 320, as well as headphones like the Tour One M3, feature Auracast, with the latter even including a dedicated audio transmitter for sharing with compatible headphones.

However, JBL faced challenges as an early adopter. “Integrating Auracast into our products presented several technological hurdles, especially since we aimed to support it across multiple platforms during its early development,” explains Sharon Peng, JBL’s SVP of global engineering. “While Bluetooth SIG provided a foundational framework, it didn’t cover all the nuances needed for a robust implementation. Early adopters like JBL had to navigate some ambiguity, but Bluetooth SIG has since introduced more structured compliance and testing protocols.”

This might clarify some issues reported by users, particularly with JBL PartyBox speakers, which can only receive Auracast broadcasts from JBL devices. Peng acknowledged the problem and mentioned that JBL is working on it through OTA firmware updates. “In short,” she stated, “JBL’s Auracast architecture is designed for compatibility, and we’re committed to expanding support across our product lineup to ensure users can enjoy seamless connectivity—whether they’re using JBL gear or third-party devices.”

Henry Wong, director of market development at Bluetooth SIG, echoed Peng’s commitment to interoperability and acknowledged the issues with JBL’s party speaker mode. “We’ve been in communication with JBL, and they are actively working to align their products with the full Auracast requirements to ensure broader compatibility and clarity for consumers.”

Not every company supporting Auracast is as vocal as JBL. Samsung has included Auracast in its high-end 8K TVs since 2023, and LG added support in its 2025-model-year OLED and quantum dot LED TVs. However, neither company highlights Auracast support on their product pages. I discovered LG’s inclusion only after exploring the C5’s menus while reviewing the TV.

When I wrote about the feature in June, the only online mention of Auracast support in LG’s TVs was a press release from a hearing aid manufacturer. LG didn’t issue its own press release and directed me to the one from the hearing aid company when I inquired about the feature. This limited communication primarily to the hearing aid community, while important, means the general public remains unaware of this valuable capability. Using Auracast with your TV allows individuals to adjust the volume to their preferences or enhance frequencies for clearer dialogue. Beyond accessibility, Auracast enables multiple people to enjoy late-night viewing with headphones without disturbing others.

LG informed me that while Auracast isn’t a focal point in its current marketing, it is listed in specifications on the LG website (though I still couldn’t find mention of it on LG TV product pages). While the company expressed support for the technology, it noted that Auracast’s relevance to TV buyers is still developing.

LG actively promotes Auracast in its Xboom line of speakers and earbuds, but the implication is that the uncertain relevance to TV buyers is hindering a broader marketing effort. When discussing the industry at large, Peng suggested a possible reason for this hesitance. “There’s often a degree of industry caution with emerging technologies. Manufacturers weigh the risks of investing in features that may not yet be widely adopted or standardized.”

Auracast is already present in earbuds and headphones, not just high-end models from JBL or Sony. EarFun earbuds, priced under $100, also feature it, and according to marketing manager Helen Shaw, the design team spent months troubleshooting compatibility issues to make it work. With Qualcomm chips in its earbuds, EarFun received assistance in resolving some of these challenges. This determination from a smaller company like EarFun demonstrates that integrating Auracast doesn’t require massive resources.

However, investment is needed in infrastructure—like transmitters and employee training—where Auracast can be most beneficial. Adoption has been slow, though. Venues such as the Sydney Opera House have begun adding Auracast support for performances, as have some universities and churches. Still, broader awareness and availability in headphones, earbuds, and hearing aids are necessary before it can regularly benefit those with accessibility needs.

This is why the lack of extensive marketing is frustrating, especially regarding its potential use at home. The technology is already in many people’s ears and possibly in their TVs. There are even transmitters available for under $100 to add Auracast connectivity to existing sources. If more people were aware of Auracast, interest would likely grow, prompting venues to implement it.

But do companies genuinely care to educate consumers? Auracast is a brand-agnostic technology, yet there’s a trend for companies to create walled gardens. TCL has started doing this with the Z100 Dolby Flex Connect speaker, which requires a 2025 TCL QM series TV for setup. This isn’t a limitation of the Dolby Flex Connect technology itself. Apple has successfully employed this strategy, as I type on my MacBook while wearing my AirPods, with my iPhone in front of me and my iPad on the coffee table. Imagine how quickly Auracast would gain traction if Apple included it in its widely recognized headphones and earbuds. So far, however, there’s been no word from Apple regarding Auracast or any future implementation.

Despite this, there’s a strong sense of hope and commitment to Auracast among the companies I spoke with. Each emphasized the importance and potential they see in the technology. According to Bluetooth SIG’s Wong, “Auracast broadcast audio is gaining strong momentum across the industry. We’re seeing increasing adoption from device manufacturers, growing deployments in public venues around the globe, and enthusiastic support from advocacy groups and influencers.”

When (or if) Auracast becomes widely available and supported, the accessibility benefits will be significant. Families watching TV together will be able to customize dialogue clarity for a shared experience. It will be easier to catch travel updates at your gate or announcements on the train. Students will no longer have to strain to hear their lecturers, and sharing music or podcasts will become simpler. But first, we need to raise awareness about Auracast, and the responsibility largely falls on the manufacturers that support it.