Nokia has successfully executed the world's first cellular call using the new Immersive Voice and Audio Services (IVAS) codec, a groundbreaking milestone in live voice calling tech.
Nokia Makes First Immersive Audio Call
On June 10, 2024, Nokia announced this remarkable achievement from its campus in Espoo, Finland. The historic call was made by Pekka Lundmark, Nokia's President and CEO, who connected with Stefan Lindström, Finland's Ambassador of Digitalization and New Technologies.
This call was not just any regular phone call; it utilized the IVAS codec technology, part of the upcoming 5G Advanced standard, to deliver a three-dimensional (3D) spatial sound experience in real time.
What Is the IVAS Codec?
Current smartphone calls typically use monophonic audio, which compresses sound elements together, resulting in a flatter and less detailed sound experience.
The IVAS codec changes this by enabling users to hear voices as if they were physically present with the caller. This immersive technology brings a spatial and massively improved listening experience to voice and video calls, making interactions more lifelike and engaging.
"The live immersive voice and audio experience enabled by IVAS improves the richness and quality of the call, and the three-dimensional sound experience makes interaction more lifelike and engaging," said Lindström.
This technology is expected to offer significant benefits for both personal and professional communication, including enterprise and industrial applications.
The Future of Voice Calls
During the demonstration, Lundmark showcased the distinctive acoustic dimensions that can be experienced with the IVAS technology.
"This groundbreaking audio technology takes you to the caller's environment, creating a spatial and massively improved listening experience for voice and video calls," Lundmark explains.
This technology can be used across any connected devices such as smartphones, tablets, or PCs, making it versatile and widely applicable. The IVAS codec allows for a real-life interaction with three-dimensional sound, which could revolutionize how we experience voice calls today.
What's Next?
The IVAS codec is not just a proprietary technology; it has been developed under the framework of the 3GPP standardization process. A consortium of 13 companies, including Nokia, has been instrumental in these efforts. Nokia has been a frontrunner, contributing major parts of the technology and developing a smartphone-specific format for the IVAS standard.
Jenni Lukander, President of Nokia Technologies, indicated that the technology is now becoming standardized, allowing network providers, chipset manufacturers, and handset manufacturers to start implementing it in their products.
This standardization is a key factor in ensuring that spatial communication is universally accessible, as it enables interoperability between various industry players.
Apart from enhancing personal and professional communication, the IVAS technology has potential applications in conference calls, where voices of participants can be separated based on their spatial locations.
It also paves the way for enhanced extended reality (XR) and metaverse applications, promising a more immersive experience in these growing fields.
Nokia aims to explore licensing opportunities for the IVAS technology, though widespread availability is expected to take a few years.
Stay posted here at Tech Times.
