The era of Dolby Atmos may be coming to an end thanks to this new audio format

Summary

Eclipsa Audio is a new open-source 3D audio format coming to Samsung TVs, Android 16 smart TVs, and LG TVs.
The audio format is being developed by Google, Samsung, and other contributors in the Aliiance of Open Media.
Other than YouTube, most streaming services haven’t voiced support for Eclipsa Audio yet, a crucial hurdle to its long-term success.

At CES 2025, Google and Samsung announced Eclipsa Audio, an open-source 3D audio format to rival Dolby Atmos that will make its debut in Samsung’s 2025 smart TV lineup. However, the burning question on many people’s minds has been where else you can actually listen to it. The answer is now becoming clearer.

Google representatives speaking to FlatpanelsHD confirmed that Eclipsa will be part of the Android 16 operating system, meaning that any TV using Android OS, such as Google TVs, Hisense, Sony, and more, will support the format in the future. It’s not just Android 16-compatiable smart TVs supporting Eclipsa either; FlatpanelsHD also reports that it will be available on webOS for LG TVs too, but the timeline for when that is happening is unclear. In a blog post in January, Google explained the reasoning behind the creation of Eclipsa.

“Spatial audio technologies were first developed over 50 years ago, and playback has been available to consumers for over a decade, but creating spatial audio has been mostly limited to professionals in the movie or music industries,” Google said in a blog post. “That’s why Google and Samsung are releasing Eclipsa Audio, an open-source spatial audio format for everyone.”

Google TV

Operating system: Google TV
Ease of use: High
Smart assistants: Google Assistant
Ad presence: Moderate
App availability: Very wide
Notable features: AI-curated content; Chromecast built-in

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How Eclipsa Audio works

It’s biggest hurdle will be getting more streaming services on board

Eclipsa Audio is a channel-based 3D audio format that utilizes Immersive Audio Mode and Formats (IAMF) to accurately position sounds in a virtual space, creating the effect of audio coming from all around the listeners. Because the format is open-source, any creator can access its audio tools to produce 3D sound — unlike Dolby Atmos. The format is under development by Google, Samsung, and other contributors as part of the Alliance for Open Media (AOM).

Initially, Eclipsa Audio will be primarily available on Android devices due to its integration with Android 16. Naturally, Google-owned YouTube will also support the audio format, and for many users, that will likely be the first place they get to experience it. Later this year, YouTube creators will be able to upload videos that take advantage of the new format.

The prospect of Eclipsa Audio is exciting, especially if it improves the audio experience on YouTube and every Android 16 smartphone and tablet. However, getting other streaming services and filmmakers to adopt Eclipsa Audio will be the biggest hurdle it faces. FlatpanelsHD reports that Netflix has yet to announce its support for Eclipsa Audio, and neither has Apple for tvOS or iOS. Whether many movies or shows will adopt the audio format is another question entirely, but as Eclipsa’s presence on devices expands, filmmakers and showrunners may take note.