Android Audio Sharing Is Growing Up: How to Use the New Multi‑Device Features

What Android’s new audio era is about

Android audio sharing is a set of system-level features that let one phone stream sound to multiple Bluetooth devices while also enabling higher-quality hi‑res audio playback with compatible earbuds, combining convenience for casual listeners with precision for audiophiles in a way that previously required separate apps, adapters, or awkward workarounds. At the center of this shift are two concrete moves: OPPO’s June ColorOS 16 update, which adds Bluetooth audio sharing to two pairs of earphones from a single phone, and Google’s quiet addition of the Low Latency High-Definition Audio Codec (LHDC) in Android 17 for supported Pixel devices. Together, they turn Android from “good enough” sound into something that starts to feel deliberate. If you care about how you listen, this is the moment to stop treating audio as an afterthought and set these features up.

Dual Bluetooth audio on ColorOS 16: shared listening done right

The June ColorOS 16 update is the clearest sign that Android audio sharing is starting to matter in daily life. OPPO’s rollout adds Audio Sharing, which lets a single phone stream to two pairs of Bluetooth earphones at the same time. In plain language: dual Bluetooth audio without cables, splitters, or clumsy app hacks. Whether you are watching a movie with a friend or listening to music together, both users can hear the same track without relying on a speaker or wired splitter. That sounds like a small quality-of-life tweak, but it reshapes how you use your phone in shared spaces. Long flights, late-night binge sessions, even quick highlight reels become something you can share without breaking the quiet around you. The ColorOS 16 update itself is rolling out through June to eligible OPPO smartphones such as the Find X9, which means this is not a distant promise; it is landing on real devices now.

This same update also brings a string of other features: a Sports Widget that lets football fans follow live scores, match schedules, and tournament updates right from the home screen, plus refreshed Weather details like Moon Rise, Moon Set, and live Moon Phase information that can help outdoor enthusiasts, photographers, and anyone planning around natural lighting conditions. But the opinionated reality is that Audio Sharing is the change most people will feel without thinking. Once set up, you do not need to juggle apps or hand a bud back and forth; the phone becomes the hub for quiet group listening, which is exactly what phones should have done years ago.

Hi‑res audio on Android 17: what LHDC adds for earbuds

If dual Bluetooth audio is about people, hi‑res audio on Android 17 is about precision. Google has silently added a new audio feature to Android 17 by bringing the Low Latency High-Definition Audio Codec (LHDC) to supported Pixel devices. This codec enables users to switch on Hi‑Res audio on compatible earbuds like OnePlus Buds when running Android 17. According to AndroidAuthority, LHDC support appears in the Bluetooth Audio Codec list alongside SBC and AAC on a Pixel 9 Pro. That matters because codec support is where wireless audio quality lives or dies. Once LHDC is enabled, you still need a high-quality source to hear the difference; Apple Music, for example, supports Hi‑Res Lossless audio up to 24-bit/96kHz. Hi‑res audio Android is not a magic switch, but it finally gives Android users a system-level path to pair premium earbuds, a capable codec, and serious music services in one clean chain.

This push clearly targets audiophiles and people who already own premium wireless earbuds. The sources explicitly note that a user was able to switch on Hi‑Res audio on their OnePlus Buds once LHDC support appeared, and that a proper hi‑res experience still depends on high-quality content like 24-bit/96kHz streams. The message is blunt: if you care enough to buy good earbuds, Android is finally catching up with the responsibility to feed them better data. It is not about chasing spec sheets; it is about making sure the phone does not become the weak link in your audio chain. For years, many users shrugged and said wireless would never satisfy detail-obsessed listeners; LHDC on Android 17 is a direct challenge to that assumption.

Who benefits most—and how to decide what to use

These new tools are not for everyone in the same way, and that is a good thing. Dual Bluetooth audio in the ColorOS 16 update is for social listeners first. If you often watch movies with someone beside you, share podcasts during commutes, or want to keep kids entertained without blasting speakers, Audio Sharing that streams to two pairs of earphones simultaneously is the feature that will quietly change your routines. It removes friction from real-world group listening scenarios, whether you care about specs or not. By contrast, hi‑res audio Android features like LHDC on Pixel devices are squarely aimed at those who already care about bitrate, codecs, and file quality. If you are happy with compressed streams and basic earbuds, you may never notice. If you own high-end buds and subscribe to hi‑res services, this is the missing link you waited for.

What is striking is that both ends of the listening spectrum are finally being treated with respect. Football fans now get live scores and match updates pinned directly to their home screens, while outdoor enthusiasts and photographers get information about Moon Rise, Moon Set, and live Moon Phase data to plan their sessions. Meanwhile, audio fans gain both shared listening and higher-fidelity options. The practical takeaway: check whether your OPPO phone is in the ColorOS 16 rollout window and explore the Bluetooth settings on Android 17 to see if LHDC appears under Developer Options. Your phone can do more than you assumed, but only if you are willing to spend ten minutes tuning it instead of ignoring the update prompts.

The bottom line: Android audio is finally worth your effort

The current wave of Android audio sharing and hi‑res upgrades marks a turning point: sound on your phone is no longer an afterthought, and the excuses for ignoring it are running out. OPPO’s June ColorOS 16 update brings Bluetooth Audio Sharing that lets one phone stream to two pairs of earphones, while Android 17 adds LHDC support to Pixels so users can switch on Hi‑Res audio with compatible earbuds. Once everything is set up, pairing that with a high-quality audio source such as a service that supports Hi‑Res Lossless audio up to 24-bit/96kHz turns your phone into a credible listening hub. The opinionated conclusion is simple: if you care about music or shared listening at all, you should treat these updates as essential, not optional. Update your phone, try dual Bluetooth audio with a friend, toggle hi‑res with your best earbuds, and decide with your ears whether Android has finally earned a place in your audio life.