Eclipsa Audio enters the scene with big claims and gigantic challenges.
Samsung and Google teamed up to create Eclipsa Audio, a new 3D audio format set to rival Dolby Atmos. Its biggest selling point is that it’s a free, open-source solution to costly licensing fees.
But beyond the marketing hype, Eclipsa offers no compelling reason to believe it will succeed. Here’s why:
1. Free Is Not Enough
At first glance, a royalty-free 3D audio format seems like a consumer win.
Who wouldn’t want an alternative to Dolby Atmos, which requires manufacturers to pay licensing fees?
But cost savings alone aren’t enough to drive adoption in an industry where trust in a brand is paramount.
Dolby has built a strong reputation over decades, becoming the trusted standard in entertainment with reliable technology and widespread use. That’s not something that will easily be put aside.
The Dolby Atmos label itself carries weight. It’s a guarantee of quality that inspires confidence in buyers. Its name is just so widely known that people will know what to expect by just seeing its logo.
That’s why even budget-conscious manufacturers opt for Dolby technology because it’s what consumers recognize and demand.
Not to mention, Eclipsa doesn’t offer any groundbreaking technical or user experience improvements over Dolby Atmos, either. So, it’s gonna be hard for creators, manufacturers, or consumers to justify adopting a new format.
And speaking of studios and content creators, Dolby’s established workflows and support systems make it the easy choice.
Switching to an untested format like Eclipsa just to save money isn’t a tradeoff most will make.
The cost of Dolby licensing is negligible compared to the total production and distribution costs of audio content. Consumers won’t see significant savings passed on to them, so why would they care about a format switch?
2. The Limited Platform Problem Hurts Adoption
Eclipsa Audio is trapped in a vicious cycle. Currently, it’s only supported on Samsung’s 2025 TVs and soundbars and some YouTube videos. That’s it.
Without a broader device ecosystem, it’s nearly impossible for creators to justify the time and resources needed to produce content in this format.
At the same time, manufacturers won’t embrace the format without enough content to entice consumers.
It’s a classic chicken-and-egg problem, and it’s hard to see how Eclipsa can break out of it.
Contrast this with Dolby Atmos, which is supported on everything from Hollywood films to mobile apps. This accessibility promises a seamless experience for users, no matter their device.
So, Eclipsa feels more like a niche feature designed for Samsung’s ecosystem rather than a serious industry challenger.
The challenges don’t stop there.
Even if Eclipsa somehow gains traction, converting existing Dolby Atmos content to this format isn’t straightforward.
Unlike simple video codecs, spatial audio relies on proprietary encoding and metadata. Studios would need to create entirely new masters for Eclipsa, which is an expensive and time-consuming process.
Why would they bother when Dolby Atmos already works?
3. History Says This May Not Last
Samsung and Google have been here before. Remember HDR10+ (a.k.a. their attempt to take on Dolby Vision)?
It also promised an open, royalty-free alternative but failed to gain widespread support. Why? It didn’t offer any substantial advantages over Dolby Vision and lacked the ecosystem to make it viable.
Eclipsa Audio shows troubling signs of following the same trajectory.
Worse, Google’s history of abandoning projects doesn’t exactly inspire confidence.
The company has a long history of launching ambitious projects only to abandon them when they fail to gain traction. From Google Glass to countless discontinued apps, their track record raises questions about whether they’ll stick with Eclipsa long enough to make it matter.
It’s just fair to wonder if Eclipsa might meet a similar fate