3GPP IVAS Codec - Perspectives on Development, Testing and Standardization

The standardization of the codec for Immersive Voice and Audio Services (IVAS) was completed by the 3rd Generation Partnership Project in June 2024. The IVAS codec goes beyond traditional mono voice coding by representing and reproducing the spatial characteristics of sound, creating an immersive auditory experience. It opens the space for new applications in the realm of mobile communications and user-generated live content streaming such as immersive telephony and extended reality (XR) teleconferencing. The present paper provides a brief overview of the IVAS standard framework covering key features and properties and unique perspectives that are essential for understanding the underlying development and standardization processes that have led to this new 3GPP standard.