Can you share audio on phone call?

Sharing audio on a phone call refers to the ability to play an audio file or stream so that the person you are talking to on the phone can hear it. This allows you to share music, sound clips, or any other audio content with the other caller in real-time during your conversation. The audio that is shared is transmitted along with your voice audio over the phone network.

Some common examples of sharing audio on calls include playing a song for someone, letting them listen to a voicemail or audio message, or sharing sounds from a video you want them to experience. The key aspect is that the audio is streamed live rather than sent as a file, so your call recipient can hear it while you are still connected without having to hang up and switch to a separate app.

Technical Aspects

Most mobile phones and calling services are not designed to transmit music or audio sharing during a voice call. The voice call audio signal is encoded and optimized for speech, not high-quality music. Trying to transmit music at the same time leads to quality degradation for both the music and speech audio (source).

However, some calling services like FaceTime allow audio sharing by sending the music or audio on a separate channel from the main voice call. This keeps the voice call optimized for speech while allowing a secondary audio stream for sharing (source). The receiving device then mixes the two audio channels together so both parties can hear both streams.

On iOS, Apple uses a built-in feature called Audio Sharing to enable this dual channel setup. On Android, music apps may implement their own audio sharing protocols. The technical challenges involve properly isolating the channels, mixing them, and maintaining call quality.

Platforms That Support It

Many popular platforms and apps allow users to share audio during calls and meetings. Some of the major ones include:

FaceTime – Apple’s video calling app supports high-quality audio sharing between iOS/Mac users (Source).
WhatsApp – The messaging app allows real-time voice notes, calls, and group audio chats on iOS and Android (Source).
Zoom – Zoom’s video conferencing tool enables users to share audio during meetings and webinars across devices (Source).

Microsoft Teams – Microsoft’s workspace app supports audio calling and screen sharing features (Source).

In addition, many business communication and collaboration platforms like Slack, Google Meet, Skype, and RingCentral also allow real-time audio during screen sharing and video calls (Source).

Benefits

Sharing audio during phone calls opens up new possibilities for more engaging and interactive conversations. One key benefit is the ability to share music, sounds, and audio clips with the person on the other end of the call.¹ This allows you to let the other person listen along to a new song you discovered, play a funny sound effect, or share any other audio content in real-time during your call. It brings an added dimension beyond just voice chat.

Use Cases

There are several popular use cases for sharing audio on phone calls:

Gaming: Gamers can use audio sharing to communicate and collaborate during online multiplayer games. By sharing game audio through their phones, they can chat naturally without background noise disrupting the gameplay audio coming through their headsets.

Listening to music together: Friends can share music by playing songs out loud over a call. This allows people to listen to music simultaneously and react together in real time, similar to listening to the radio with others.

Collaboration: Coworkers or classmates can share audio from videos, presentations, or other media to collaborate over a call. This allows remote teams to work together as if they were in the same room. For example, someone could share their screen over a video call while also piping the audio through the phone so everyone can hear it clearly.

Other use cases include sharing podcasts, audiobooks, sports events, performances, or any other scenario where real-time audio adds value to a phone conversation. Audio sharing helps facilitate joint experiences and discussions from a distance.

Challenges and Limitations

There are some challenges and limitations to consider when sharing audio on phone calls:

Audio Quality Issues

The audio quality can often be lower or distorted when sharing system audio during a phone call. This is because phone calls use compression to transmit the audio, which can degrade the quality. Issues like choppy audio, echoes, and interference are common (Source).

Privacy Concerns

Sharing system audio means ambient sounds and notifications could be audible to the other person on the call. This raises privacy issues if sensitive information is accidentally transmitted. Users should be cautious about what audio they share.

Compatibility

Not all devices and platforms support sharing system audio during calls. There are often specific settings required to enable it. So compatibility issues can prevent successfully transmitting audio.

Tips for Sharing Audio

Here are some tips for successfully sharing audio during phone calls:

Use a stable, high-speed internet connection. Audio files require a certain amount of bandwidth to stream properly. An unstable or slow connection can cause latency, lag, and poor audio quality.
Check compatibility between devices and apps. Not all platforms support audio sharing, so check which apps and devices have this capability.

Respect others’ privacy. Make sure to get consent from anyone you share audio with, as they may not want unsolicited music or sounds.
Send short clips instead of long files. This conserves bandwidth and ensures the audio actually goes through.
Use headphones. This avoids echo or feedback, keeping your audio clear.

Adjust volume appropriately. Make sure shared audio isn’t too loud or quiet compared to your voice.

Following these tips will lead to smooth, successful audio sharing during calls that enhances the conversation without disruption.

Future Possibilities

Looking ahead, there are exciting innovations in the pipeline when it comes to sharing audio during phone calls. Here are some of the possibilities on the horizon:

Integration with more services – We may see audio sharing integrated into more communication platforms and services beyond just phone calls. For example, sharing audio during video chats on apps like Zoom or FaceTime. Or audio sharing capabilities built into productivity tools like Slack or Microsoft Teams.

Spatial audio – Spatial or 3D audio could allow for a more immersive shared listening experience during calls. Participants would feel like they’re in the same physical space, with audio coming from different directions just like in real life. Apple and others are already working on spatial audio innovations.

Accessibility features – Developers are looking at ways audio sharing could be enhanced with accessibility features for those with hearing impairments. Options like live transcriptions, increased volume controls, and sound isolation could make shared audio valuable for more users.

As audio sharing on phone calls becomes more ubiquitous, we can expect more of these kinds of features that expand its usefulness and accessibility while providing an enhanced experience.

Summary

In summary, sharing audio on phone calls is made possible through various calling platforms and apps. The ability to play music, share recordings, and enable live streaming opens up creative ways to enhance conversations. Key benefits include sharing moments and reactions in real time, conveying information more naturally through your own voice, and connecting on a more personal level through self-expression. However, quality issues and privacy concerns represent some potential downsides to keep in mind. With the right apps and setup, sharing audio on calls can become an immersive way to interact and engage. But restraint and respecting others’ preferences are advised to avoid disruptions. As technology progresses, high-quality audio sharing integrated seamlessly into calling may become more ubiquitous. For now, the capability exists in limited forms for those wishing to experiment and explore. With some thoughtful planning around usage, sharing audio on phone calls can provide meaningful value.

Conclusion

In conclusion, sharing audio during phone calls has a number of benefits and use cases. Though there are some challenges and limitations currently, the ability to seamlessly share audio in real-time during a call opens up new possibilities for remote collaboration, learning, troubleshooting, and personal connections.

As technology evolves, we can expect the quality and reliability of audio sharing to improve. Platform developers will likely focus on reducing latency, improving compatibility across devices, and smoothing out the user experience. With some innovation and creative thinking, we may see exciting new applications emerge that take advantage of real-time audio sharing in phone calls.

While audio sharing is still relatively new, it’s clear that the ability to transmit audio between callers is immensely powerful. As this feature becomes more widespread, we will continue finding new ways to enrich our remote conversations and interactions by seamlessly integrating audio from our environments and devices.