Qualcomm Connected Experiences, a subsidiary of Qualcomm, has announced major feature additions to the Qualcomm AllPlay smart media platform including Bluetooth® to Wi-Fi re-streaming, custom audio settings and optimized synchronization. The AllPlay platform which is built upon the AllJoyn®, an open source software and services framework, provides consumers with multiple streaming options, including a new feature to combine both Bluetooth and Wi-Fi for whole home streaming.
With this, Qualcomm said that all local or cloud-based music on a consumer’s smartphone can be streamed to a Bluetooth-compatible AllPlay speaker and then re-streamed over Wi-Fi to multiple AllPlay speakers, all in synch. This allows simple wireless connectivity to individual speakers or an entire home audio system over the user’s existing home Wi-Fi network. This functionality provides a distinct advantage over Bluetooth-only speakers, which are limited to one-to-one streaming, said Qualcomm.
At the same time, Hitachi America announced the launch of three Wi-Fi speakers powered by AllPlay. The Hitachi Wi-Fi speakers are designed to offer seamless streaming of high-quality local and cloud-based audio content – with the high performance and versatility of Wi-Fi and the convenience of Bluetooth.
Bill Whalen, Director Product Development, Hitachi America, Ltd., Digital Media Division
Our adoption of the Qualcomm AllPlay platform for our networked audio portfolio further showcases our commitment to bringing consumers products with truly exceptional sound quality, reliability and ease-of-use in the wireless whole-home audio category. We’re dedicated to providing consumers with easy to use, high-quality audio products – and the AllPlay platform allows us to do just that.
Sy Choudhury, senior director of product management, Qualcomm Connected Experiences
The range and capacity of Wi-Fi coupled with the ubiquity of Bluetooth is a game-changing combination for manufacturers and consumers alike. AllPlay device manufacturers like Hitachi and Monster, which introduced its SoundStage line of AllPlay-powered speakers at Best Buy last month, can now offer their customers more connectivity options and access to myriad streaming services throughout their home with this new capability.
