Eclipsa Audio is also coming to Google TV, LG TVs, Android, more

While Google and Samsung's Eclipsa Audio – a Dolby Atmos rival – will debut in Samsung TVs and soundbars, the new 3D audio format is coming to many more devices in the near future.

Ahead of CES 2025, Google and Samsung announced Eclipsa Audio as a new open-source 3D audio format that will debut in Samsung's 2025 TVs and soundbars.

At CES, Google and the Alliance for Open Media (AOMedia) had arranged an invite-only demo room where FlatpanelsHD met with Matt Frost, Jani Huoponen, Jan Skoglund and Roshan Baliga to hear it in action and learn more about the plans.


What is Eclipsa Audio?
Eclipsa Audio is based on IAMF (Immersive Audio Model and Formats) and is released by the Alliance for Open Media (AOM) under a royalty-free license, although there will be a certification process.

Think of it as the audio equivalent of HDR10+ video, i.e. an alternative to Dolby's spatial audio format, Dolby Atmos, but free for anyone to use in products and content. It does not have to be bundled with HDR10+ or anything else, Google said in response to our questions at CES.


 Eclipsa Audio (IAMF) is a new 3D audio format. Photo: FlatpanelsHD

Unlike Dolby Atmos, Eclipsa Audio is not object-based but rather channel-based, with support for first- and third-order ambisonics to create a 3D audio perspective. It can contain up to 28 input channels, which are then rendered to a set of output speakers or headphones. It also supports binaural rendering for headphones. It is designed to be scalable from mono up to large speaker configurations, explained Google.

IAMF is codec-agnostic, meaning that it can work with LPCM, AAC, FLAC and Opus, with an Opus encode being the one FlatpanelsHD heard demonstrated at CES.

While this means that Eclipsa Audio is not just one thing – the same is true for Dolby Atmos – the ultimate goal, according to Google, is to create a scalable and flexible 3D spatial audio format that is not limited to movies, series, games and music but works for basically anything – also travel and meditation videos on YouTube. It is about moving on from traditional sound formats to 3D sound on current devices, including mobile, PC and TV as well as future devices such as AR/VR headsets.


 Eclipsa Audio playing on a Samsung TV and soundbar surround system. Photo: FlatpanelsHD

Is Eclipsa Audio any good?
During our demo at the Wynn hotel in Las Vegas, we listened to Eclipsa Audio on three different setups:
A Samsung TV with a Samsung soundbar surround system
A TCL Google TV with a soundbar
The new Dell S3225QC QD-OLED monitor with built-in 3D speakers
We listened to movies, music and some demo content (including THX), and overall it was a convincing showcase, delivering audio that felt richer with both horizontal and vertical sound, and more immersive than traditional surround sound – more comparable to Dolby Atmos. Eclipsa Audio definitely sounded promising, although we would need more time to say anything definitive.


 Eclipsa Audio playing on Dell's upcoming QD-OLED monitor with built-in 3D speakers. Photo: FlatpanelsHD

Coming to many more TVs and devices
While the performance and technical intricacies are important, they are ultimately irrelevant if viewers have no way to experience it. And while it is reassuring that the world's biggest TV brand, Samsung, is backing it, not many people will own a 2025 Samsung TV and soundbar anytime soon.

As mentioned, FlatpanelsHD also saw Eclipsa Audio demonstrated on other devices, including a TCL Google TV with a modified YouTube app, as seen below. Notice how it is receiving audio in IAMF (Eclipsa) encoded in Opus and HDR video in AV1, the video format championed by the Alliance for Open Media.


 Eclipsa Audio (and AV1) playing on a TCL Google TV. Photo: FlatpanelsHD

Google's Jani Huoponen and Matt Frost informed FlatpanelsHD that Eclipsa Audio will be officially supported on Google TV devices from brands like Hisense, Sony, Philips and TCL starting with Android 16, where Eclipsa Audio will get OS-level support. In theory, it can be custom-implemented before Android 16, but that depends on the manufacturer. Google Chromecast support for Eclipsa Audio is also planned.

In addition, the team had a demo running on an LG TV with webOS, but the launch timing ultimately depends on LG and the certification process.

Google outlined that its rollout plan initially focuses on TVs, soundbars and OS support; getting Eclipsa Audio integrated at the operating system level rather than just within the YouTube app. Later this year, YouTube creators will be able to upload content in the new format.


Mobile, web browsers and beyond
The next step after TV devices will be bring support to mobile devices and the web, including web browsers. Again, it will be built into Android 16 at the OS level, but Google could not comment on Apple's plans for iOS, tvOS etc.

The team also plans to eventually certify AV receivers, but initially support will be limited to PCM, meaning a TV or player will need to handle the audio decoding.

Additionally, VLC is "almost ready" to implement support for Eclipsa Audio. This spring, a free Eclipsa plugin will be released for AVID Pro Tools Digital Audio Workstation.

Google and AOMedia are also working on developing tools for content creators to easily use Eclipsa Audio. The core IAMF tools are already available for free to anyone. One of the bigger challenges will be getting Hollywood to embrace Eclipsa, but Google envisions studios eventually using the same audio source for a movie or series to output both Dolby Atmos and Eclipsa simultaneously – we'll see.

While Google and YouTube are major players that are well-positioned to bring Eclipsa Audio to a wide range of user-generated content, the organization has limited influence on production of movies and series. Google could not comment on plans from other streaming services but noted that Netflix has not yet committed to Eclipsa, despite being a member of the Alliance for Open Media.

That's all we know for now, but will we be keeping an eye on Eclipsa Audio developments, and we think you should too.