Vue has rolled out its Auracast Bluetooth broadcast audio system to 20 cinemas in the UK and Ireland, enhancing assistive listening and audience engagement across a quarter of its screens amidst a growing adoption of inclusive audio technology.
Vue has expanded its Auracast rollout across the UK and Ireland, with the Bluetooth broadcast audio system now available in 20 cinemas and 200 screens, covering about 28 per cent of its customers. The assistive listening service can be used with compatible headphones, earbuds and hearing aids, and is designed to let any number of listeners connect to a single audio feed at the same time. Liam O’Dell reported that the latest figures supersede earlier coverage, which had put the number of enabled venues at 18.
The technology is built around Auracast broadcast audio, a Bluetooth Special Interest Group system that uses Bluetooth Low Energy Audio to send sound directly to personal devices. The SIG says this approach is intended to improve accessibility and audio quality in public venues, while avoiding some of the limits of older assistive listening systems. It can also support other uses, including multilingual audio, silent screenings and tour applications.
Vue said the installation with Ampetronic | Listen Technologies is part of a wider effort to make cinema more accessible and immersive. In a statement, Narinder Shergill, general manager for Vue UK and Ireland, said the company was working with suppliers on “the latest premium large-format experiences” and that the Auri system was intended to remove barriers and deliver clearer sound to every seat. Craig Davey of Ampetronic | Listen Technologies said the rollout marked “a major milestone” for Auracast in cinemas and showed how the technology could be integrated into entertainment venues at scale.
The new locations include Finchley Road and Wood Green in London, adding to the cinemas previously listed by O’Dell. It is not yet clear whether the remaining 71 Vue cinemas in the UK and Ireland will eventually receive the system. The Bluetooth SIG says venues can register Auracast sites to highlight their availability and access promotional resources, suggesting that public-facing listings may become an important part of how the technology spreads.
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