The Free Bluetooth Upgrade You May Be Able To Access Now On Your Android Phone

Bluetooth has nearly always been one of the most useful features available on your smart devices. It allows fast, wireless synchronization with everything from the earbuds in your pocket to the Android Auto interface in the car you use for your daily commute. The basic technology has been around for over two decades, but new advancements continue to be released year after year, expanding its speed and versatility — especially when it comes to quality audio connectivity.

Google announced in September 2025 that it will be issuing a free upgrade to the Bluetooth capabilities of Sony headphones, Pixel phones, Samsung Galaxy phones, and Xiaomi devices. This will grant users new ways to listen to and share audio across multiple devices, with the power of a new technology called LE Audio Auracast.

Those who are interested in exploring what this new technology can do might want to know a bit more about it. What is LE Audio, and exactly what kinds of capabilities will it add to your Android phone?

LE Audio was originally developed by Bluetooth to support hearing aids, but the technology's capabilities have since been extended to all manner of listening devices so that it can now be used in a wide range of different scenarios. LE Audio is a separate wavelength from the one used in Bluetooth's Classic Audio connectivity.

"As the names suggest, Classic Audio operates on the Bluetooth Classic radio while LE Audio operates on the Bluetooth Low Energy radio," Bluetooth states on its official website. "LE Audio not only supports development of the same audio products and use cases as Classic Audio, it introduces exciting new features that promise to improve their performance and enable the creation of new products and use cases."

While this Low Energy frequency is still able to communicate with the same devices as the Classic Audio frequency, it uses a much more efficient Codec. This means that even when there are low data rates, users still receive clear audio, expanding the connectivity capabilities and improving things like battery life due to its higher efficiency. One of the primary ways that LE Audio can do some really exciting things for your headphones is through the use of the Auracast broadcast system.

Auracast is an official Bluetooth broadcast audio network that is designed to extend connectivity options beyond the usual one-broadcaster, one-receiver dynamic that is how Bluetooth usually operates. Think of it kind of like a public radio station that multiple devices can tap into via Bluetooth, "enabling an audio source device to broadcast one or more audio streams to an unlimited number of audio sink devices."

You can use Auracast to connect your phone to televisions in public spaces such as gyms, bars, and waiting rooms. You can connect to flight information in airports, experience self-guided audio tours at your local museum, and even tap into local music stations via your private audio devices. Perhaps the most exciting innovation is the ability to broadcast your phone's audio to multiple devices, so that you and a friend can experience the same audio together.

In its update blog, Google said, "For more intimate listening, you can pair two LE Audio Bluetooth headphones to your phone so you and a friend can listen at the same time. This allows the two of you to stay in sync and enjoy music, movies, or podcasts together, whether you're sitting in a cafe, waiting at an airport or commuting on the train." This isn't just for two people either, entire groups can listen to a single audio source, connecting their headphones instantaneously with a simple QR scan. And of course, on top of all this, it still offers the same hearing aid accessibility features it was designed for.