Apple Music Launching Spatial Audio With Dolby Atmos and Lossless Audio in June at No Extra Cost

[Poontaco]

Will this upgrade work through the original HomePod?

Yes

 

[now i see it]

"Lossless Audio" coming from a company like Apple is like "Retina Display" on iPhone. Sharp but you can still see detect a bit of fuzziness.

 

[bdinardo]

Will this work with iTunes Match?

 

[krspkbl]

Anyone have any idea if HomePods will be supported?

if it has a H1/W1 chip it will be supported.

that's was the press release says.

 

[Poontaco]

Wondering that too. The release says anything with an H1 or W1 chip, so perhaps not, as the OG homepod does not have the chip? Does that also mean it WILL work on homepod mini?

Homepods work using Airplay, not Bluetooth. Airplay 2 already works with lossless audio.

 

[Prabas]

They will after the next firmware update.

If they did, don't you think they'd say something in the press release?

 

[snapster]

I already own all the music I listen too, why would I buy more?

You've already read all the content on MacRumors -- why did you visit again?

 

[Johnny Steps]

All my music is bought from the iTunes Store, I don't have the desire to subscribe to millions of songs when I only want to listen too the ones I already own. It seems we aren't going to be able to pay Apple to upgrade our existing libraries like we did with 128bit to 256bit.

So then this just a way to incentivize the people on the bench to subscribe to Apple Music. It’s not really unfair in that matter.

 

[DeApp1e]

Now I just need new AirPods to listen with 🤣

 

[iamdmann]

if it has a H1/W1 chip it will be supported.

that's was the press release says.

I would think (hope) HomePod (although maybe not mini) would be updated regardless of w1/h1 inclusion because they were already updated for atmos for video content. Despite being discontinued this kind of update isn't unprecedented (the airport express received airplay 2 update after it was discontinued if memory serves).

 

[nt5672]

For no additional cost!!! Awesome.

Except for those that have to upgrade their equipment to "iOS 14.6, iPadOS 14.6, macOS 11.4, and tvOS 14.6 or later."

Imagine that.

 

[powerbook911]

Will this work with iTunes Match?

I personally doubt we'll be able to "upgrade" to lossless for owned music. I'm expecting this will be only for Apple Music tracks, you may be able to download them, but they will vanish when sub ends.

I know I am speculating though.

 

[iGeek2019]

Good to know I’ll be able to make use of this with my Powerbeats 3.

 

[AppleUser2]

Difficult to stream on airplanes. Admittedly not much of an issue for me at the moment with air travel severely restricted but one day it will be a consideration for me again. Difficult to stream in any area with a dodgy mobile network connection and no WiFi. Also not everyone has high or unlimited data caps on their mobile phone plans so there can be cost implications especially if you’re on holiday and would need to use roaming data in a place where it’s extortionately expensive. And finally there’s battery life if you’re out and about. It’s far more power efficient to play from local storage than stream over a network especially a mobile phone network. Good for you that your circumstances never give you any of those issues but there are other people out there who aren’t in your situation. As you might have guessed a lot of my music listening is when travelling, out walking, sitting enjoying the sun outdoors somewhere etc.

Yep, agree. I've found that with TIDAL and other 'lossless' offerings it's far safer to download as even a strongish 4G signal can struggle.

 

[matrix07]

Deutsche Grammophon have Karajan’s Beethoven symphonies and the recent John WIlliams’ Vienna concert in Atmos on BluRay. Would LOVE to have these amongst so many other available.

Now you’re talking. 👍

 

[atoqir]

Oh no. Again no news about the Windows client which is 25 version behind in features and layout now.

PLEASE FINALLY RELEASE A NEW WINDOWS CLIENT.

 

[NBAasDOGG]

Price increases before the end of the year. Mark my words…

 

[m4mario]

What about home pods? I don’t want Dolby atoms, but at least higher quality audio?

 

[Poontaco]

I would think (hope) HomePod (although maybe not mini) would be updated regardless of w1/h1 inclusion because they were already updated for atmos for video content. Despite being discontinued this kind of update isn't unprecedented (the airport express received airplay 2 update after it was discontinued if memory serves).

There's no need for an update. Homepods already support ALAC. (They actually support FLAC too).

 

[nt5672]

This seems so crazy to me honestly, if you spend more than $99/yr buying music you are losing money. You could just add all the songs you have/want and save them, which would be lossless sound when it’s released.

As long as Apple is of the opinion that you should be listening to those particular songs.

 

[jjd]

Now it's mentined

"Apple Music subscribers will also be able to listen to more than 75 million songs in Lossless Audio."

This is the real news. Not the Atmos/ Spatial stuff.

 

[ruka.snow]

So then this just a way to incentivize the people on the bench to subscribe to Apple Music. It’s not really unfair in that matter.

Its not unfair, but leaves money on the table for those that'll never subscribe. 256bit music will be fine for me, but I would be happy to re-buy it all in higher quality if given the option.

 

[anshuvorty]

Are there any samples on Apple Music that have this feature enabled so that we can listen to the difference?

 

[Sebosz]

20+ years after the digital download music revolution we are finally back to CD quality, and even exceeding it. Amazing it took this long.

Why are you acting like Amazon HiFi and Tidal HiFi don’t exist? Apple didn’t reinvent anything here just because they don’t want more money for it.

 

[chabig]

for lossless you really need a wired headphone/speaker.

Yes, and the video I'm watching on my wireless AppleTV isn't really 4K. 😉