A new audio format will be unveiled at CES 2025, designed to deliver particularly immersive and dynamic sound, in direct competition with Dolby Atmos.
Tech giants Samsung and Google have joined forces to develop Eclipsa Audio, a new three-dimensional sound technology currently being integrated into the South Korean manufacturer's next range of TVs and soundbars.
Eclipsa Audio promises to transform the listening experience into a three-dimensional, enveloping, dynamic sound environment. The sound should seem to come from everywhere, creating a fairly realistic sense of immersion, whether you're watching a movie or playing a video game.
This technology also aims to offer a new audio experience for content creators, who will be able to control and customise the intensity of sounds emitted and their spatial reflections.
Eclipsa Audio therefore lands as an alternative to existing 3D audio formats, starting with Dolby Atmos. Samsung will start integrating this audio format into its TVs this year. At Google, YouTube will soon be supporting this technology, enabling creators to upload videos with dedicated audio tracks, offering their subscribers an unprecedented sound experience – to be discovered exclusively on Samsung TV sets.
Of course, Google is not ruling out the possibility of entering into further agreements to roll out this new technology on a very large scale, especially as it is (for the time being) a free format.
Technically, Eclipsa Audio is based on IAMF (Immersive Audio Model & Format) open-source technology. Samsung will be demonstrating it at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES), running in Las Vegas from Jan 7 to 10, 2025. – AFP Relaxnews
