Eclipsa Audio is coming in 2025 to enable 3D spatial audio without Dolby Atmos
Google’s and Samsung’s new Eclipsa Audio format promises 3D spatial audio experiences without Dolby Atmos, but will it catch on?
Think of Eclipsa Audio as Samsung’s and Google’s version of Apple’s spatial audio format, which uses various computational audio and effects to create a faux 3D audio feel from any Dolby Atmos-encoded multichannel audio source.
Eclipsa Audio is restricted to some YouTube videos, but that could change when Samsung launches its 2025 smart TVs and soundbars with support for this format.
“Starting in 2025, creators will be able to upload videos with Eclipsa Audio tracks to YouTube,” Samsung said in a press release. “Viewers with 2025 Samsung devices will be able to watch YouTube videos with premium spatial audio when available.”
Samsung and Google promise 3D experiences in 2025 with Eclipsa Audio
This isn’t the first time a South Korean conglomerate has created alternative versions of standards it has no intention of backing up because of competitive reasons. For example, no Samsung TVs support Dolby Vision HDR because the Galaxy maker has opted for the competing HDR10+ standard instead.
Similarly, no Samsung hardware supports the spatial audio format which Apple uses. Companies wanting to use spatial audio must pay a license fee, which is one reason Google and Samsung co-developed Eclipsa Audio as a free, open-source alternative.
Samsung and Google partnered in 2023 to develop a new format for immersive 3D audio. It was initially called Immersive Audio Model and Formats (IAMF) but was later marketed as Eclipsa Audio. The companies also worked with the Telecommunications Technology Association on a certification program for IAMF.
The Alliance for Open Media has adopted IAMF, which is interesting because Apple is among IAMF members. However, Apple only supports the spatial audio format for 3D, which it developed in cooperation with Dolby Laboratories.
Source link: https://www.idownloadblog.com/2025/01/06/google-samsung-eclipsa-audio-rival-spatial-audio/
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