The Bluetooth SIG has announced a new specification that will change the way we use Bluetooth audio.

With this new specification, you'll be able to tune in to public broadcasts that can play alongside your standard phone audio.

Imagine using your Bluetooth headphones as normal but when you hop on a train you can choose to have the announcements broadcast to your headphones.

Or sitting in a waiting room and choosing to tune in to the usually muted TV when something interesting comes on.

That's the kind of thing that Auracast promises to bring to the Bluetooth audio market. It will be similar to the way in which we join public Wi-Fi networks at present, just with audio sources.

Of course, there's a massive benefit for those who are hard of hearing and Auracast will work with compatible hearing aid devices, too. 

In a statement, CEO of the Bluetooth SIG, Mark Powell said "The launch of Auracast broadcast audio will trigger another massive change in the wireless audio market."

"The ability to broadcast and share audio using Bluetooth technology will reshape personal audio and enable public venues and spaces to deliver audio experiences that will improve visitor satisfaction and increase accessibility."

The statement also included a quote from Peter Liu, system architect of Pixel ecosystem products at Google "We are proud to work with the Bluetooth SIG and are excited to see this capability provide consumers with new, imaginative ways to connect with each other and hear their world."

So, we wouldn't be surprised to see this technology coming to future, and maybe even current, Pixel devices. The Auracast spec is part of Bluetooth LE Audio, available in Bluetooth 5.2, so there could be potential for the system to work with currently available hardware.