It’s time to give audio its due for the mesmerising experiences we are looking for

A lot of smart gadgets – smartphones, smart TVs, tablets, laptops, TWS earbuds, etc., have transformed the way we consume content.  These gadgets have elated the levels of our experience.  We see this only getting better.

However, there is a screen bias in our thought process for all of these devices, except TWS earbuds, where its not applicable. We give a lot of attention and look into details of a display while selecting our new smart device.  Today, even an ordinary customer looks for display size, resolution, display technology, NITs, refresh rate and what not.  Against this on the audio side, we hardly look for anything.  At most customers do read how many speakers does it have.  Additionally, some do see if the devices have any kind of audio enhancement like Dolby, Harman, etc.

But this thought process is not going to help us find gadgets that will deliver the immersive experience we are looking for.  It will not help us replicate the cinema hall experiences in homes and other places.  For instance, we may keep on buying bigger size smart TVs proportionate to cinema screens for home viewing. But, without a complementing audio experience, it would remain inefficient.

There are content types that we are increasingly consuming for which we need the devices that will deliver the experiences we are looking for.  Some of the main content types include: –

• OTT video content for entertainment.
• OTT audio content for entertainment.
• Calls / Meetings for professional engagements.
• Video content for professional learnings including conferences.
• Gaming content.
• Educational content for students.

In all these content types we cannot get the immersive experience without having a balanced experience delivered by the visual and audio components of a device.  In fact, audio becomes significant as in devices like TWS earbuds, there is no screen, and one just needs to immerse only through the audio.  Even in practicality, many of the team calls are audio only, with many of the members not turning on the camera.

I wouldn’t say that audio should take precedence over video, but we as consumers will have to give audio equal weightage as we give to display while selecting our smart devices.  Without this thought process, we won’t be able to get that immersive experience, which we have in mind while buying a smart device.

Several OEMs across have started accepting this fact and are increasingly focusing on audio aspects of a device.  Doubling the number of speakers in a smartphone, increasingly adopting audio enhancements like Dolby and Harman, are a few of the steps that have been taken so far.  So much so, even in a device like Neckband, we have an audio enhancement technology now.  So, the idea here is to deconfine immersive experience of any particular segment.

As consumers, while you are preparing to buy your desired smart device in the upcoming festive season, look out of the audio capabilities of the device.  Get a sense of what kind of audio experience the device will deliver by evaluating the specifications and features it has got.  The audio has to complement the superlative display that most of these devices would have to offer.  This will help you find an immersive smart device that will make you a part of the content while consuming it.  It will not only elate your experience but also help you comprehend they very important stuff you are consuming through the video or audio format adding to your knowledge bank and thought process.