[trq01758]

Those codecs got better with time. Also notebook and little portable speakers, while they are unable to physically reproduce low frequencies are getting better at emulating those. Somebody cares.

And here's (dunno if true as they write in the description - probably the very first stereo) studio turntable from 1958 playing a record from 1988 through Youtube's compression. I did have a lousy vinyl deck with so so speakers when growing up and this impresses me a lot: https://youtu.be/PRty-_eBEpg?si=GsrctxRbkvT3xRAV

[kaoD]

What does "emulating low frequencies" mean?

[trq01758]

It may be impossible for a little speaker to produce any sound at some low frequency, so manufacturers use "virtual pitch" psychoacoustic phenomenon by introducing harmonics above that frequency. There is no low bass, but there will be added harmonics that will be perceived by the listeners as low bass: https://sound.stackexchange.com/questions/37755/how-do-psych... Here's also a project and some info from Asahi devs on Macbook audio: https://github.com/AsahiLinux/asahi-audio

[Johnythree]

Is commonly known as "Bass Boost".

As the OP has said, it cannot give louder bass, but simulates the bass harmonics.