An October announcement about compatible devices
On 22 October 2026, Bluetooth SIG reported that the five major hearing aid manufacturers now offer models supporting Auracast. This announcement concerns a range of compatible models; it does not mean every device from these brands has the feature.
Auracast lets a transmitter broadcast audio to compatible receivers. For visitors, the benefit is receiving an announcement or content on their own equipment when the venue offers the service.
At Frankfurt, a pilot announced at two gates
On 28 January 2026, Fraport announced a trial at gates A16 and A17 in Terminal 1 of Frankfurt Airport. Its stated aim is to send gate announcements to passengers’ compatible audio devices.
The release planned two months of feedback collection. Bluetooth SIG’s article of 13 February explained that the on-site QR code allowed compatible equipment to join the broadcast.
This information documents the pilot at those dates. It does not establish that it will work during a current trip or extend it to every gate at the airport.
Fraport — pilot of 28 January 2026 · Bluetooth SIG — QR access at Frankfurt
The QR code helps join a broadcast, not play a file
Bluetooth SIG’s FAQ describes several ways to pass on the information needed to join a broadcast: an Auracast assistant can obtain it through QR or NFC, among other methods. The assistant can be an app; the journey depends on the equipment used.
Here, the QR code identifies and joins the stream. It does not contain a recording of an announcement and is not necessarily an address for an audio player in a browser.
This difference matters for signage: “Join the audio announcements” describes connecting to an on-site service. “Listen to our presentation” could, in another project, lead to a web page with recorded content.
Check the whole chain before offering the journey
Our preparation advice: check the venue’s installation, the visitor’s receiver and any phone or assistant used to join the broadcast. Bluetooth on a device alone does not establish Auracast compatibility.
Consult the documentation for the models concerned and the installation’s instructions. A readable QR code cannot add a feature missing from the equipment.
If you manage a venue, have the actual journey checked before announcing it to the public. Also explain how to get help and the other ways available to receive the information.
For a venue, make the instruction understandable
Fictional example: an exhibition space has an audio installation configured by its provider. At the entrance, instructions give the broadcast’s name, the area where it is offered and whom to contact if connecting fails.
The team distinguishes the QR code for joining the audio from the link to its help page. It keeps essential visiting information available in writing and provides assistance for people who cannot use this journey.
Our advice for the material: state the destination beside each QR code. Two adjacent codes without captions would make visitors guess which opens help and which joins the audio.
Qurl can prepare the QR code for your help page
Qurl creates a static QR code for an existing web address and lets you download the image as PNG, SVG or PDF. In the example, it can open the venue’s welcome page or instructions.
Qurl does not configure transmitters, create Auracast broadcasts or generate the connection information specific to this service. For that journey, use the means provided by the installation and its documentation.
For your help page, choose an address your team can maintain and a caption matching its content. You can update the instructions without changing the QR code as long as that address stays the same.