Google has released Android 17 Beta 3, giving users an opportunity to preview enhancements to Bluetooth LE Audio, Auracast and hearing aids.
This version of Android is codenamed Cinnamon Bun, and introduces some enhancements and changes for all users including updates to dark mode, being able to remove app names and labels from the homepage, and improvements to picture in picture controls.
Camera users will be able to use 14-bit RAW image format, and updates to the Photo Picker tool.
In a blog for developers, Android set out the various changes being implemented that relate to Bluetooth LE Audio.
These include:
- Bluetooth LE Audio can now distinguish between hearing aids and “regular headsets”. We assume this means headphones and ear buds. It will be possible for developers to create apps that display different icons to denote which output device is being used.
- Android 17 allows users to manage where specific system sounds are played. They can choose to route notifications, ringtones, and alarms to connected hearing aids or the device’s built-in speaker. This is handled at the system level and requires no API changes.
- A new system-provided encoder (c2.android.xheaac.encoder) supports high and low bitrates for significantly better audio in low-bandwidth conditions, including mandatory support for loudness metadata to ensure consistent volume.
- There has been a fix to an issue that caused Bluetooth pairing to hang for up to 150 seconds (nearly three minutes).
These developments could make it even easier for hearing aid users to take advantage of the latest technologies, including Auracast.
We have not been able to test this because we have an S25, and Samsung uses its own version of Android, One UI. We are using version 8.5 in beta form, and it is expected that Version 9 will be based on Android 17.
As Apple is still not supporting Auracast natively, we have gone from a situation where Android is leapfrogging the iPhone when it comes to assistive listening solutions.
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