Samsung and Google take on Dolby Atmos with a new royalty-free audio format

Forward-looking: Samsung and Google have teamed up to challenge one of the biggest names in immersive audio – Dolby. The two companies have announced Eclipsa Audio, a new open-source spatial audio format designed to bring 3D sound to YouTube and Samsung's latest TVs and soundbars later this year.

For years, Dolby Atmos has been the dominant force in 3D audio, known for its immersive surround sound that makes it feel as though sounds are coming from all around you. It's become a household name, with nearly every major TV manufacturer today paying the "Dolby tax" to license Atmos for their premium sets and speaker systems.

However, Samsung and Google are looking to disrupt the status quo with Eclipsa Audio, a royalty-free alternative. Samsung claims that Eclipsa Audio functions similarly to Atmos by adjusting audio data – such as location, intensity, and spatial reflections – to create 3D sound. The key difference ...