Google is continuing to expand its availability of Eclipsa Audio, the new spatial audio format the company co-created with Samsung. At this year’s Google I/O conference, the tech giant announced that Android 16 would bring Eclipsa Audio to Google TVs. Initially, the audio format will be supported via YouTube content, but it’s been confirmed that other streaming platforms will follow suit shortly after. Google states that Eclipsa Audio has not only been tuned for feature films, but TV shows and other types of content as well.
The following was originally published February 18, 2025:
Samsung and Google’s upcoming spatial audio format will be coming to more devices than initially revealed. When Eclipsa Audio was formally unveiled, Samsung stated that it would be supported by Samsung’s 2025 range of TVs and soundbars, in addition to Google revealing it would be supporting the format through YouTube. We now know more devices that Eclipsa Audio will be coming to, as FlatPanelsHD has stated that it met with Google and the Alliance for Open Media at this year’s CES for a in-person demo of Samsung and Google’s hopeful Dolby Atmos rival.
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“Google’s Jani Huoponen and Matt Frost informed FlatpanelsHD that Eclipsa Audio will be officially supported on Google TV devices from brands like Hisense, Sony, Philips and TCL starting with Android 16, where Eclipsa Audio will get OS-level support,” FlatpanelsHD wrote.
Additionally, Google says that while its initial focus is on supporting Eclipsa Audio on its TVs and soundbars, integration for web browsers and mobile devices will be following suit.
The following was originally published January 16, 2025:
Update: CES 2025 saw the unveiling of Eclipsa Audio, the new immersive audio format developed in a partnership between Samsung and Google. The initial announcement stated that the format, designed to be a rival to Dolby Atmos, would be supported by Samsung’s 2025 range of TVs and soundbars. We now know more information regarding the first two soundbars to feature this new immersive format: the Samsung Q990F and QS700F.
The Q990F is Samsung’s upcoming flagship model, and succeeds the Q990D. According to the company, key features of the Q990F include:
- Dynamic Bass Control: Enhances clarity in low-frequency ranges by utilizing non-linear bass management for balanced and distortion-free sound.
- Q-Symphony: Immerses the user in 3D surround sound by detecting the position of wireless speakers like the Music Frame and automatically optimizing audio effects based on its distance and angle.
- Active Voice Amplifier Pro: Provides real-time content analysis that reduces background noise and emphasizes dialogue for an enhanced viewing experience.
FlatpanelsHD reports that the Q990Fs subwoofer much smaller than its predecessor, while Samsung claims that, despite its size, it provides better low-end than the Q990D.
The QS700’s main distinguishing feature is its versatility, as it is able to be used in either wall-mounted or tabletop setups, while internal gyro-sensor technology determines if the soundbar is oriented vertically or horizontally, and optimizes its audio output based on this information.
Just ahead of this year’s CES, Samsung and Google have revealed their new immersive audio format: Eclipsa Audio. The companies announced that they were jointly developing a rival to Dolby Atmos in 2023, at the the time referring to the technology only as IAMF, short for ‘Immersive Audio Model and Formats.’ Samsung has confirmed that every model in its 2025 TV range will support Eclipsa Audio, with integration also coming to its 2025 line of soundbars. Additionally, Google has announced that, beginning this year, videos will be able to be uploaded to YouTube with the Eclipsa Audio format.
We are proud to lead the industry with the integration of Eclipsa Audio into our 2025 TV and soundbar lineup,” said Taeyong Son, EVP and Head of the R&D Team, Visual Display Business, Samsung. “This innovation opens new possibilities for immersive audio experiences and reinforces our commitment to shaping the future of home entertainment.”
The following was originally published January 24, 2024:
UPDATE: CES 2024 has come and gone, but not without revealing new information bout IAMF (Immersive Audio Model and Formats), the upcoming open-source spatial audio format created by Samsung and Google.
At the expo earlier this month, Samsung commented that not only is IAMF not the product’s final name, but that it is coming this year. The new format will come built-in to upcoming 2024 Samsung products, such as TVs and soundbars. The company says that while it is possible it will eventually be included in older products via firmware updates, nothing is set in stone on that front. What is certain, however, is that YouTube, which is owned by Google, will begin supporting the format later this year. YouTube notably does not support Dolby Atmos, meaning IAMF will have a monopoly on the platform when it comes to spatial audio.
The following was originally published December 5, 2023:
In a surprising move, Samsung has announced that they have been working with Google for the last three years to develop a new type of spatial audio. Called ‘Immersive Audio Model and Formats’, or IAMF for short, the new spatial audio format is the world’s first to be open-source.
“Samsung Electronics’ advanced research institute Samsung Research has been striving to popularize 3D audio since 2020. To this end, Samsung worked with Google to jointly develop Immersive Audio Model and Formats (IAMF),” said Samsung in their press release. “In order to allow people to freely create content with 3D audio technology, related technology needs to be open to all. Providing a complete open-source framework for 3D audio, from creation to delivery and playback, will allow for even more diverse audio content experiences in the future,” continued WooHyun Nam from Samsung Research’s Visual Technology Team.
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Samsung reveals that IAMF was adopted by the Alliance for Open Media (AOM), of which Samsung and Google are both members, in October of this year.
The company states that there are three core characteristics of IAMF: Vertical Audio, AI-Based Audio and Customized Audio.
“As such, when IAMF technology is applied to home TV speakers and sound bars, it allows listeners to hear sounds such as birds flying over their head on their TVs at home,” said Nam.
“Samsung and Google’s respective expertise in devices and content made the companies ideal partners to create IAMF technology,” said JeongHoon Park, EVP and Head of Visual Technology at Samsung Research. “By coming together to develop this unprecedented technology, we are paving the way for consumers to enjoy 3D audio in their homes.”
