The useful question is what changes for users, developers or buyers, and whether the announcement stays industry context or becomes something people can actually use.

Samsung Electronics and Google jointly developed Eclipsa Audio, a 3D audio technology based on the open IAMF standard, to deliver more immersive sound for live performances and musicals on Samsung TV Plus. The technology optimizes spatial positioning of sound for TVs and soundbars, recreating the atmosphere of a concert venue in the home. Samsung Research and the Visual Display Business collaborated to bring the technology to market, with Samsung Research handling the underlying audio framework and the VD Business integrating it into Samsung TV Plus.

Eclipsa Audio enhances musicals and live performances by reproducing performers’ voices, orchestral music, sound effects, and audience reactions with spatial accuracy. The technology adjusts sound balance and placement based on the playback setup, whether using a TV alone or with a soundbar. Samsung Research’s Woohyun Nam explained that the system captures each audio element with its original spatial characteristics, allowing viewers to experience the depth of the stage and the energy of the audience from home.

The technology goes beyond traditional stereo by incorporating front, back, left, right, and height information to create a three-dimensional sound field. Built on the IAMF standard, Eclipsa Audio reconstructs spatial information embedded in content, preserving the creator’s intended depth and immersion. Samsung Research developed the encoding and playback technologies, ensuring compatibility across different devices, including unsupported ones that default to stereo playback.

Samsung Research and the VD Business validated Eclipsa Audio through a live test in a 280-seat concert venue, streaming a performance through Samsung TV Plus and playing it back on a Samsung TV. The test confirmed accurate reproduction of music, vocals, audience reactions, and venue acoustics, demonstrating the technology’s ability to faithfully recreate the live experience for viewers at home.