Nokia’s CEO, Pekka Lundmark, has utilized a revolutionary technology known as “immersive audio and video” to enhance phone call quality with three-dimensional sound, creating more lifelike interactions.
The Finnish tech giant shared this milestone in a recent announcement on their website. During the call, Lundmark connected with Finland’s Ambassador of Digitalization and New Technologies, Stefan Lindström, using the new Immersive Voice and Audio Services (IVAS) codec technology. This innovation is a key part of the forthcoming 5G advanced standard.
The IVAS codec transforms traditional monophonic voice calls into real-time spatial audio experiences. Lundmark showcased the unique auditory dimensions made possible by IVAS technology from Nokia’s Espoo campus to Lindström.
Lundmark remarked, “We have shown a glimpse of the future for voice communications. This pioneering audio technology immerses the listener in the caller’s environment, significantly enhancing the listening experience for both voice and video calls and providing valuable applications for businesses and industries.”
Despite not being fully integrated into mobile networks yet, Nokia successfully demonstrated IVAS technology in a real-time call over a public 5G network using their proprietary Immersive Voice technology.
Ambassador Lindström commented, “The live immersive voice and audio facilitated by IVAS enriches call quality with a three-dimensional sound experience, making interactions more engaging and realistic. This technology offers numerous advantages for both personal and professional communication and will elevate XR and metaverse interactions.”
IVAS codec technology enables real-time spatial audio across various connected devices, including smartphones, tablets, and PCs. This represents the most significant advancement in live voice calling since the advent of monophonic telephony audio.
Jenni Lukander, President of Nokia Technologies, stated, “I am proud of Nokia’s leadership in developing these groundbreaking immersive voice and audio technologies. With standardization, this innovation will benefit people globally.”
Developed by a consortium of 13 companies, the 3GPP IVAS codec standard has seen substantial contributions from Nokia, particularly in creating a smartphone-specific format for the standard.
Incorporating this innovation into a global standard is crucial for ensuring interoperability among operators, chip manufacturers, and handset makers, thus making spatial communication widely accessible.
Nokia continues to lead in standards development and holds one of the world’s most extensive patent portfolios in connectivity technologies, with over 20,000 patent families, including more than 6,000 essential to 5G.