Fraunhofer IIS, primary developer of the xHE-AAC audio codec, is proud to announce that Google’s latest iteration of Android OS 17 now mandates encoding and decoding of the world’s most efficient stereo audio format.
xHE-AAC decoding based on Fraunhofer’s FDK2 AAC implementation has been shipping with Google’s operating system for mobile, TV, and automotive products since the release of Android 9 Pie in 2018. This has resulted in an estimated installed base of over 7 billion Android devices. Billions of consumers worldwide use those products on a daily basis to enjoy the sound quality of xHE-AAC from streaming services including Netflix, Audible, Facebook Stories and Instagram Reels.
With the mandatory inclusion of xHE-AAC encoding in Android 17, the 2026 edition of Google’s industry-leading operating system, users will now be able to create and enjoy their own content encoded in this state-of-the art audio format. The initial use case for xHE-AAC in Android will be audio messaging and high-quality media sharing compliant with the GSMA Rich Communication Services (RCS) Universal Profile 3.1 and 4.0 standards. This mandates the use of xHE-AAC on devices capable of encoding and decoding the format. It will enable mobile operators to deliver richer, high‑quality audio messages directly within native messaging apps — significantly enhancing everyday voice messaging without any user interaction. Other Android applications for audio recording, audio and video editing as well as user-generated content (UGC), can also benefit from the superior auditory experience offered by xHE-AAC.
“Fraunhofer’s close partnership with Google’s Android team on AAC software has been a success story already for over a decade,” says Marc Gayer, Head of the Audio and Media Technologies’ Business Department at Fraunhofer IIS. “The inclusion of xHE-AAC encoding in Android 17 marks the next chapter in this successful collaboration that will benefit mobile operators, app developers, device makers, and consumers alike.”
Fraunhofer IIS will continue to offer professional xHE-AAC audio encoding libraries for all major platforms and operating systems including x86 & ARM, for Windows, Linux, MacOS, iOS, and Android under its standard commercial license. The professional Fraunhofer IIS xHE-AAC encoder offers extended features and comes with expert support. In addition, Fraunhofer offers a specifically tailored version of the professional audio encoder libraries comprising the advanced components and functionalities required for digital radio broadcasting services, such as DRM (Digital Radio Mondiale) and similar standards.
xHE-AAC has been designed for efficiency, reliability and quality to ensure smooth playback even under fluctuating network conditions. The codec supports seamless adaptive streaming over DASH/HLS with stereo bitrates ranging from 12 to over 320 kb/s. Each xHE-AAC bitstream includes mandatory loudness and dynamic range control metadata and improves both speech clarity and stereo imaging. In the xHE-AAC audio bitstream, the audio levels are automatically adapted to the device’s playback capabilities. This can, for example, significantly improve the intelligibility of audio messages, narrators, dialog, and other voices.
xHE-AAC is the combination of Extended HE-AAC with mandatory MPEG-D DRC dynamic range and loudness metadata. xHE-AAC and its associated logo are registered trademarks of Fraunhofer in Germany, the United States and other countries. Android is a registered trademark of Google LLC.