Samsung details a host of audio upgrades coming to its phones, tablets, and TVs

Samsung has detailed its expanded support for a range of audio technologies including Auracast, 360 Audio, and Auto Switch in a new blog post. None are appearing on Samsung’s devices for the first time, but we now know how broadly they’ll be supported across the lineup. Samsung says updates will be progressively available from the end of this month for Samsung’s Galaxy Buds 2 and Buds FE, in addition to the Buds 2 Pro.

Take Auracast, for example — a relatively new Bluetooth technology that allows one device to broadcast an audio stream to a theoretically unlimited number of endpoints like speakers and headphones. Last year Samsung announced support for the technology for its Galaxy Buds 2 Pro earbuds and latest high-end TVs, and it came to the Galaxy S24 series with its launch in January. Now, Samsung has confirmed an expanded list of phones and tablets that will be able to broadcast or receive Auracast streams. 

On the broadcast side, devices will need to be running Samsung’s One UI 6.1 and above. Supported devices will include the Galaxy S23 series, Z Fold 5, Z Flip 5 smartphones, and Tab S9 tablets. Meanwhile, devices running One UI 5.1.1 will be able to select and receive Auracast broadcasts. In addition to the devices above, this list also includes the Z Fold 4, Z Flip 4, A54 5G, M54 5G smartphones, and Tab S9 FE and Tab Active 5 5G tablets.

Auracast is an industry-wide technology that’s also coming to speakers and headphones from brands including JBL and Sennheiser.

Regarding the Galaxy S24 series and its real-time translation feature, Samsung says that pairing your Galaxy Buds with the phone will play translated audio through the earbuds, while the person you’re speaking to hears your words translated via your phone’s speaker. GSMArena reports that Samsung made a similar announcement for the Indian market last week, but now we know it’s getting a global rollout.

Samsung is also expanding its support for 360 audio to a selection of its Neo QLED and OLED TVs. This is a surround sound technology that uses head tracking to make it sound like audio is coming from the direction of your screen, which is currently supported on select Samsung phones and tablets. A full list of supported TVs can be found in Samsung’s blog post, and Samsung says the feature works with the Buds 2 Pro and Buds 2.

Finally there’s Auto Switch, a feature that automatically swaps your Galaxy Buds 2 Pro Bluetooth connection between select Samsung tablets or TVs and your smartphone when you get a call. Now, Samsung says the feature is expanding to support Galaxy Book laptops with Samsung’s One UI 6.0 software installed.