It's really hard to sell innovative audio experiences. That's why the opportunity gets squandered, and innovation usually flows through side channels that don't

It's really hard to sell innovative audio experiences. That's why the opportunity gets squandered, and innovation usually flows through side channels that don't directly or drastically alter existing audio experiences. This is true from end to end in all audio media. I've tried to do it, and I'll tell you that no VC in their right mind should give money to a consumer audio (content or tech) startup without asking them how they'll get an ad to consumers without them having their hardware or software stack to recreate the experience exactly while at home. Otherwise you're just another booth at CES and just another box on the shelf at Best Buy. Both of which are next to impossible to demo in, and you're fighting an uphill battle against the recognizable brands. It's not surprising that the features driving new audio stacks having nothing to do with improving the content itself or fidelity, since neither of which are easy to advertise in meaningful words. Tangent, I think killing off dumb pipes like TRS connectors on phones could be the next side channel for innovation since it gives an outlet for a smart pipe but we'll see. Audio markets are change averse.