Google Cardboard brings users an immersive experience in an affordable way. On a recent update, Google adds spatial audio to heighten your virtual reality experience.
Google Cardboard was unveiled last year and it supports large mobile phones with screens of up to 6 inches and it has become a major product in the virtual reality and media experience. The Google Cardboard Virtual Reality headset supports Youtube's 360 degree videos as well. But there is one tweak that is necessary to make it an even more substantial device for video consumption - the audio.
The company did just that. Recently, Google unveiled a new feature to the Cardboard, calling it "spatial audio". The upgrade produces a much more sophisticated and realistic sound experience for virtual reality users.
The idea behind spatial audio is from the term itself. It does not come from a specific source like the sides of your earphones. The sound this time comes from exact points. It makes the experience more realistic removing the "boxed sound" experience.
Spatial audio is designed to shift between channels depending on the head position to create a more immersive audio.
Nathan Martz, Google VR product manager, describes the sound "fundamentally different". Spaces and materials are clearly defined and makes the viewed environment a realistic setting.
Google stresses that there is no change to the hardware but sound is an important addition to the experience. Spatial audio will enable app developers to get more creative, like being in a realistic video game and since the experience is being viewed on a smart phone, the sound has to bet top notch.
Martz goes on to explain that right now, consumers are focusing on the visuals but pretty soon they'll notice the audio settings.
Other companies like Oculus are already prototyping with spatial audio, pairing it with virtual images. Reports are now saying that Google is ready to take on Oculus.
