Unveiling the Future of Communication
Nokia CEO Pekka Lundmark made a groundbreaking call using “immersive audio and video” technology, enhancing call quality with three-dimensional sound for lifelike interactions. This innovation, announced on Monday, marks a significant advancement in voice call technology.
A leap forward in audio quality
Traditional smartphone calls use monophonic audio, which compresses sounds and lacks depth. In contrast, the new 3D audio technology allows callers to hear sounds as if they were physically present with the other person. “We have demonstrated the future of voice calls,” said Lundmark, who was also present during the first 2G call in 1991.
“This is the biggest leap forward in live voice calling since monophonic telephony audio,” said Jenni Lukander, president of Nokia Technologies. The historic call was made with Stefan Lindström, Finland’s Ambassador of Digitalization and New Technologies, using a regular smartphone over a public 5G network.
“This is now becoming standardized, allowing network providers, chip manufacturers, and handset manufacturers to implement it in their products,” Lukander explained. The technology can be utilized in conference calls to separate participants’ voices based on spatial locations, according to Jyri Huopaniemi, head of audio research at Nokia Technologies.
Integration with existing devices
Most smartphones already have at least two microphones, enabling the real-time transmission of spatial characteristics of a call. This technology is part of the forthcoming 5G Advanced standard. Nokia aims to secure licensing opportunities, with widespread availability expected in the coming years.
Nokia’s innovative step heralds a new era in communication, promising more immersive and realistic voice interactions for users worldwide.