Android 15 will do wonders for Bluetooth for audio!

Since headphone jacks stopped existing on cell phones, Android has had to rely heavily on Bluetooth for audio. The standard was never ideal for this purpose. But in recent years, great strides have been made to reduce power consumption and latency. Also to improve sound quality thanks to Bluetooth LE Audio. The new standard, available for the first time with Bluetooth 5.2, even allows you to connect multiple headphones to a single source and, with Android 15, this process can become significantly easier.

Android 15 will do wonders for Bluetooth for audio!

As discovered by Android expert Mishaal Rahman, Google may add improved Bluetooth streaming functions in Android 15. Bluetooth broadcasts are a part of the Bluetooth Auracast specification, introduced in mid-2022, which allows you to send a Bluetooth signal to multiple receivers. Similar to how a radio station can send the signal to multiple receivers tuned to the same frequency, just with optional encryption and a lower range.

Although Android has supported Auracast and Bluetooth LE Audio on a technical level since Android 13 through the media player interface, it’s not exactly easy or intuitive to connect or even set up shared audio experiences. Hidden in the settings app in the latest Android 14 QPR2 beta, Mishaal Rahman was able to activate a new settings screen for audio streams. The feature allows you to scan a QR code to access a Bluetooth signal. There should also be a list of nearby audio streams below it. You can also select the audio devices you want to listen with.

The screen should be in Settings → Connected Devices → Connection Preferences. Although it is still a little hidden, Google can also add a shortcut in the Bluetooth settings or in the quick settings tile. Of course, it’s still early days for this new development. So Mishaal Rahman thinks it’s a function for Android 15.

It’s likely that in the near future we’ll see many more Bluetooth LE Audio devices, which will be needed for this to work. Taking this into account, it makes sense for Google to prepare the groundwork.