Nokia Makes World's First "Immersive" Phone Call with 3D Sound

On Monday, 10 June, Nokia CEO Pekka Lundmark made the first immersive phone call using a new technology that uses three-dimensional sound. 

This was reported by Reuters.

‘We have demonstrated the future of voice calls,’ he said.

Nokia made the call using a regular smartphone over a public 5G network.

Modern smartphone calls are monaural. To do this, audio elements are compressed together, so the voice is rather flat with incomplete sound detail, but the new technology will provide 3D audio, where the caller will hear everything as if they were next to the person who is calling.

‘This is the biggest leap forward in the live voice calling experience since the introduction of monaural telephony sound, which is used in smartphones and personal computers today,’ said Jenny Lukander, President of Nokia Technologies.

In addition to immersive calls between subscribers, the technology is also suitable for conference calls, as the voices of participants can be separated based on their spatial location, added Jyri Huopaniemi, Head of Audio Research at Nokia Technologies.

The vast majority of smartphones have at least two microphones, and they will be able to use immersive calling technology, when spatial characteristics are transmitted in real time.

The technology is set to become part of the upcoming 5G Advanced standard, so Nokia is seeking to secure the right to license its implementation. This will take several years before it becomes a widely available service.