In Short:
Nokia CEO Pekka Lundmark demonstrated a new technology called “immersive audio and video” that improves the quality of phone calls by providing three-dimensional sound. This will make interactions more realistic and lifelike. The technology will revolutionize voice calling, providing 3D audio where callers will hear everything as if they were in the same room. The technology, part of the upcoming 5G Advanced standard, may take a few years to be widely available.
Nokia Introduces Immersive Audio and Video Technology for Phone Calls
Nokia CEO Pekka Lundmark showcased a new technology referred to as “immersive audio and video” during a live phone call demonstration. This innovative technology enhances call quality by providing three-dimensional sound, creating a more lifelike communication experience, as announced by the company on Monday.
According to Lundmark, this advancement represents a significant step forward in voice call experiences since the era of monophonic telephony audio used in current smartphones and PCs. The demonstration also included Jenni Lukander, President of Nokia Technologies.
The call, facilitated by Stefan Lindstrom, Finland’s Ambassador of Digitalisation and New Technologies, was made using a standard smartphone on a public 5G network. Nokia plans to integrate this technology into upcoming 5G Advanced standards, with potential licensing opportunities in the future.
Jyri Huopaniemi, head of audio research at Nokia Technologies, mentioned the applicability of this technology in conference calls, where participant voices can be separated based on spatial locations. The executives highlighted that most smartphones already have the necessary hardware for implementing this technology, utilizing multiple microphones to transmit real-time spatial characteristics.
