At CES 2025, Samsung stole the spotlight once again—not just with its dazzling array of new TVs and soundbars, but with a bold announcement that could reshape our audio experiences. In a move that underscores the ongoing battle for immersive sound supremacy, the tech giant unveiled Eclipsa Audio, a spatial audio format developed in collaboration with Google.

Eclipsa Audio is Samsung’s ambitious answer to Dolby Atmos. Designed to deliver a three-dimensional audio experience, it promises to bring depth and dynamism to content without the steep licensing fees traditionally associated with proprietary formats. By harnessing the power of spatial audio, Eclipsa Audio positions itself as a flexible, royalty-free alternative that could democratize high-quality sound across various devices.

At its core, the new format leverages the Immersive Audio Model and Formats (IAMF) framework—a technology initially crafted by the Alliance for Open Media (AOM). With this foundation, Eclipsa Audio automatically optimizes sound output, adapting everything from audio positions to spatial reflections depending on the device. Whether you’re watching your favorite show on an entry-level TV or a high-end 8K Neo QLED, the system tailors the soundscape to ensure an immersive, enveloping experience.

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One of the standout features of Eclipsa Audio is its adaptability. Traditional stereo speakers have long been seen as limited in their ability to recreate a multidimensional audio field. Eclipsa Audio, however, is engineered to push past these boundaries. It can deliver layered sound experiences even on budget devices—like standard TVs, soundbars, and even smartphones—by dynamically simulating audio from the front, back, top, and bottom. For users with more sophisticated hardware, such as Samsung’s premium TVs or multi-speaker tablets, the results are even more pronounced, creating a sense of depth that blurs the line between virtual and real.

This versatility is especially significant for content creators. Soon, videos produced with Eclipsa Audio will be ready for upload to platforms like YouTube, which has announced support for the format. For creators, this means not only a richer sound palette but also reduced production costs thanks to the open-source, royalty-free nature of the technology.

By basing Eclipsa Audio on an open-source framework, Samsung and Google are inviting a broader ecosystem of developers and manufacturers to participate in a more collaborative and cost-effective future. Without the burden of additional fees or royalties, the adoption of this spatial audio standard could accelerate, making high-quality sound accessible to a wider audience.

This move could be a game-changer for the industry. Instead of being locked into expensive, proprietary systems, content creators and device manufacturers can experiment and innovate more freely. With major platforms like YouTube on board, there’s potential for a significant shift in how audio is produced, shared, and experienced across the digital landscape.

Samsung is not holding back when it comes to hardware compatibility. Whether it’s the affordable Crystal UHD series or the high-end 8K Neo QLED TVs, every new Samsung TV launching in 2025 will be Eclipsa Audio-ready. This unified approach ensures that consumers, regardless of their price point, will have access to an enhanced audio experience right out of the box.

For Samsung, this isn’t just a product upgrade—it’s a strategic bet on the future of consumer electronics. By integrating Eclipsa Audio across its entire lineup, the company is setting a new benchmark for what consumers can expect from home entertainment systems in the coming years.

Behind the scenes, the Alliance for Open Media (AOM) plays a pivotal role in this technological leap. A consortium that includes industry heavyweights like Amazon, Apple, Cisco, Google, Intel, Meta, Microsoft, Mozilla, Netflix, NVIDIA, Samsung, and Tencent, AOM has been at the forefront of creating open, royalty-free standards for media delivery. With additional support from companies such as AMD, LG, OPPO, and even streaming platforms like Vimeo and Zoom, AOM’s collaborative framework is set to influence not only audio but video and broader media experiences as well.

The collective effort behind AOM underscores a growing industry trend: the push towards open standards that foster innovation and interoperability. With Eclipsa Audio, we might just be witnessing the next chapter in this evolution—one where high-quality audio isn’t a luxury, but a standard expectation.

Source: Samsung