Google Pixel smartphones can now stream audio to multiple headphones at once thanks to expanded support for Bluetooth LE Audio and Auracast. The new feature is available to Pixel 8 and newer owners, The Verge reports.
The feature allows you to create private broadcasts and share them via QR code or Fast Pair. This can be convenient, for example, for listening to music with a friend on the go or watching a movie together. In this case, each user connects their own headphones that support LE Audio.
Auracast is part of the new Bluetooth LE Audio standard, which offers higher sound quality, lower latency, and the ability to broadcast audio. Previously, this technology was used on Android primarily for hearing aids, but now Google has scaled it up to regular headphones. The update adds support for a number of Sony models, including the LinkBuds S, WF-1000XM5, InZone Buds, LinkBuds Open, LinkBuds Fit, WH-1000XM6, and InZone H9 II. Auracast also works on compatible Samsung, Xiaomi, and hearing aid devices.
The update also affected the Pixel Buds Pro 2, which received Adaptive Audio — a mode that combines active noise cancellation with the ability to hear important sounds around you, as well as protection against loud noises Loud Noise Protection. This allows, for example, not to hear constant city noise, but to react to a car horn or siren.
Google notes that for the feature to work, the smartphone and headphones must support LE Audio and Auracast. The Pixel 8a and Pixel 9a models are not officially compatible with the new feature due to hardware limitations.
Recall that the new feature is part of the major Android 16 QPR1 update, which brought Material 3 Expressive design to Pixel smartphones.