Android 15 may make a new Bluetooth feature available to everyone

Audio sharing technologies are not new. If you own a Samsung phone, you may have already used the Dual Audio feature. Apple also has something similar for its iPhone. But for others, Bluetooth streaming has been beautiful limited, allowing you to stream to only one pair of headphones or one wireless speaker. But that’s about to change with Android 15.

Google integrated proper support for Bluetooth Auracast and Bluetooth LE in Android 15. Available in beta version 1.1 and It seems that both will making their way to the stable version. Once Google releases it, you will be able to streaming audio from one phone to multiple audio devices.

What is Bluetooth Auracast

Auracast is a new Bluetooth feature that acts as a personal audio radio. Imagine a device that broadcasts its audio signal like a TV in a sports bar. With Auracast, anyone nearby with compatible headphones or hearing aids can tune in to that particular broadcast. This is especially useful in crowded places with multiple audio sources, such as train stations, airports or gyms. However, with the support On Android 15, we can see more use cases.

It also benefits people with hearing loss. Auracast can stream audio directly to compatible hearing aids. This can bypass background noise and offer a more clearly listening experience. Android 15 support can make more people benefit from it.

But keep in mind that even with Bluetooth Auracast support on Android 15, you’ll need a compatible audio device to enjoy it. But the good news is that the standard is becoming more and more accepted. So, more upcoming audio accessories may be compatible with the new feature.

More about Bluetooth Auracast on Android 15

Mishal Rahman, a renowned Android expert, testing Bluetooth Auracast on Android 15 Beta 1.1. He managed to do it works with the Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Galaxy S24 Ultra, which means it’s not a Pixel-exclusive feature. Of course, the feature wasn’t readily available in the beta.

Mishaal had to do some tinkering instead. After that, a new settings page became available on Android 15 Beta 1.1. The feature was in Settings > Connected Devices > Connection Preferences > Audio Sharing. there, Mishaal found an audio sharing feature that you can turn on to start streaming.

When the session was active, Android 15 showed a notification that was there buttons to access settings or stop streaming. There is also a media output switch. Through this menu it is possible to control who connects to the stream and adjust the broadcast options. There is also an option for one-way broadcasting. This allows the host to take full control.

Mishal noted that there is an option to create a QR code. As you can see from the picture above, this allows users for easy connection to the Auracst stream. However, in the current beta 1.1 of Android 15, there is a slight problem with this QR code process. Mishal failed to connect Samsung devices to Pixel 8 Pro using this method.

Also, Mishal noticed some problems with the sound in the beginning. However, the audio stream improved when the Enhanced Compatibility option was turned on. But, again, we are talking about Android 15 Beta 1.1. So it is likely that Google will improve it in the upcoming beta version.