Netflix for Android brings users studio sound quality

Netflix is the most successful streaming service in recent years and one of the main movers of the film industry. Thanks to its mobile application, it is also very popular among Android smartphone users. And they are, according to the portal GSMarena now they can look forward to a significant improvement in the quality of movies and series played.

The quality of the movies and series of services will be improved by the new audio codec

Over the years, Netflix has gained immense popularity with a wide selection of movies and series on virtually all major operating systems. For several years now, the service itself has been producing its own films and series, the quality of which can match the biggest blockbusters in Hollywood. Its market position increased even more during the coronavirus pandemic, when most of the world’s cinemas had to remain closed and the premiere of most Hollywood films was postponed until this year.

This has attracted people to Netflix and its production who have so far ignored the service. Most Netflix users watch the service not only on their smart TVs or computers, but also on the displays of their smartphones. The Netlix Android app for Android now brings enhancements that will further enhance their movie and series viewing experience. Thanks to the new codec xHE-AAC the quality of the audio output is significantly improved.

What is xHE-AAC?

The xHE-AAC or Extended High Efficiency AAC code is a newer version of the HE-AAC code that the company has used so far. Introduced in 2012 by Fraunhofer IIS, it was primarily designed for use in online streaming and broadcasting services due to its high compression ratio and bit rate efficiency. It is also a variable bit rate codec that can vary based on connection strength and bandwidth. It basically reduces the difference between the loudest and quietest parts of streamed content.

As a result, silent passages in the video are more audible even in a noisier environment. At the same time, the level of noisy passages is slightly reduced to prevent distorted sound. If you are watching a movie or series in a public transport, for example, you will definitely appreciate this feature. When tested with A / B, Netflix found that most people prefer the sound quality of the new codec, even when listening through a regular smartphone speaker.

The new codec is now only available for the Android platform, which has become popular for Netflix to experiment with new features. However, the company claims that it will bring it to other platforms that support the codec. Given that almost all platforms, including iOS, macOS and Windows, already support xHE-AAC, this should not take too long.