Apple Music Spatial Audio With Dolby Atmos 'Coming Soon' to Android Devices

[MacRumors]

Apple is planning to bring the new Spatial Audio with Dolby Atmos feature to Android devices in the near future, according to a brief mention on the Spatial Audio intro page available in the Apple Music app.

All Apple Music subscribers using the latest version of Apple Music on iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple TV can listen to thousands of Dolby Atmos Music tracks using any headphones. When listening with compatible Apple or Beats headphones, Dolby Atmos Music will play back automatically when available for a song. For other headphones, go to Settings > Music > Audio and set the Dolby Atmos switch to "Always On. " You can also hear Dolby Atmos Music using the built- in speakers on compatible iPhones, iPads, and MacBook Pros, or by connecting your Apple TV 4K to a compatible TV or AV receiver. Android is coming soon.

Since debuting Apple Music Spatial Audio, Apple has only mentioned availability on Apple devices and did not previously make it clear that the feature will also be available to Android users. TechCrunch first noticed the mention earlier today following the late night launch of the feature yesterday.

Apple did not provide word on which Android devices might be compatible, but a wide range of Apple devices can access the feature including the iPhone 7 and later, all iPad Pro models, the 6th-generation iPad or later, the iPad Air 3 and later, the fifth-generation iPad mini and later, the 2018 or later MacBook Pro/MacBook Air, and the 2020 or later iMac.

Article Link: Apple Music Spatial Audio With Dolby Atmos 'Coming Soon' to Android Devices

 

[ouimetnick]

RIP Tidal. Spotify’s days may be numbered. Why didn’t they have spatial audio or Dolby Atmos support? Why is it Apple that does these things first? Music isn’t the only thing Apple does, but it’s pretty much all Spotify does (along with Poscasts)

 

[TheYayAreaLiving 🎗️]

Aye! RIP other music platforms. Apple is not playing around

 

[Vanilla Face]

Will this require special headphones or speakers?

 

[PsykX]

Aye! RIP other music platforms. Apple is not playing around

I don't think this is going to kill any other platform, but it sure is a welcome change.

There's a major problem with all theses new logos so far : the rollout was bad, like really bad. We need to read quite a lot to actually understand who benefits from it and how (do I need special headphones? Apple headphones only? Wired headphones only?).

They need to simplify the message. They had a chance at WWDC and didn't use it.

 

[BWhaler]

Coming to Android, but not AirPods Pro or Max?

And Apple is being sued for being a monopolist?

 

[anthony13]

and let me guess, then we'll have to manually redownload our library's yet again? this roll out has been a wreck from the start.

 

[Srizzil]

Not sure if I’m crazy but the Dolby Atmos seems to be playing through the Apple Music App on my Samsung TV through Sonos’ speakers 🤔.

 

[tkermit]

So everybody's in on the fun except Windows users? 🤭

 

[Ace of aces]

and let me guess, then we'll have to manually redownload our library's yet again? this roll out has been a wreck from the start.

well is it really a question ? I mean … how could you not re-download music !? Always complaining for sure …

 

[cmaier]

RIP Tidal. Spotify’s days may be numbered. Why didn’t they have spatial audio or Dolby Atmos support? Why is it Apple that does these things first? Music isn’t the only thing Apple does, but it’s pretty much all Spotify does (along with Poscasts)

Say what you will about Apple, but they have been invested in music distribution for a very long time, and have great relationships with most of the music studios, and even with many artists.

 

[QFace]

I'm hoping for an XBox Series X/S Apple Music app with Atmos support!

 

[Techwatcher]

RIP Tidal. Spotify’s days may be numbered. Why didn’t they have spatial audio or Dolby Atmos support? Why is it Apple that does these things first? Music isn’t the only thing Apple does, but it’s pretty much all Spotify does (along with Poscasts)

TIDAL actually has Spatial Audio, Dolby Atmos, Lossless, and MQA and has had these for a while. It's just that they cannot compete by trying to convince people it is worth $19.99 a month--so yes RIP if they continue to keep that price.

They need to bring it down to $9.99 and add more features. Since Square (Jack Dorsey) now owns TIDAL maybe we will see some interesting integrations come from them between Twitter and Cash App.

 

[Techwatcher]

I'm hoping for an XBox Series X/S Apple Music app with Atmos support!

The only app I'm waiting for on Series X!

 

[kenni417]

RIP Tidal. Spotify’s days may be numbered. Why didn’t they have spatial audio or Dolby Atmos support? Why is it Apple that does these things first? Music isn’t the only thing Apple does, but it’s pretty much all Spotify does (along with Poscasts)

because spotify is too busy having their heads so far up their asses suing apple.

 

[lazyrighteye]

So what is the difference (or relationship) between Dolby Atmos, Lossless, and Apple Digital Master?
I feel like I just started noticing ADM icons showing up on my iPhone. DA = the fun separation stuff, Loselss = not compressed, and ADM = what again?

Today, I noticed St. Vincent's latest album, Daddy's Home, has all three cons included. When I went to play it, I received a message indicating it was previously downloaded "in stereo." To get Dolby Atmos, I had to remove and redownload the album. So I did. And wow - sonically, it sounds fantastic! Much more alive than the compressed audio we've had to accept these past ~10-15 years. And that was on my AirPods. I switched to my Plantronics BB Pro 2 over-ears (way better fidelity) and none of the cool separation (Dolby Atmos?) was present. Not reporting anything new here, just noting the difference. Pretty incredible. I've recorded live audio, multitracked bands, spent a LOT of time in Pro Tools the past 20+ years and the mp3 was a sad day for me. The fidelity lacked both high and low end. Just sounded flat and lifeless. Back in the day, I was ripping my CD library to the highest mp3 rate just to get as high fidelity as possible. Excited to see music's return to its intended fidelity. Hoo-freaking-ray!

 

[lazyrighteye]

because spotify is too busy having their heads so far up their asses suing apple.

If you can't beat 'em, sue 'em?

 

[ouimetnick]

Say what you will about Apple, but they have been invested in music distribution for a very long time, and have great relationships with most of the music studios, and even with many artists.

I know Apple has been in the music distribution business since early 2003, and being a larger company they probably have more leverage, but that doesn’t excuse Spotify for sitting on their ass.

Spotify complains about not being able to make a proper AW app. Apple finally let’s them and Spotify does a half assed job.

Spotify users beg and even sign a petition for Spotify to bring offline music support to AW. Spotify ignores their users for YEARS and finally brought it a month ago. Wtf?

Spotify complains that Apple won’t allow them to support HomePod. (poor choice by Apple, probably why the original HomePod was a failure) Apple finally opens up support for 3rd parties on the HomePod, Pandora, Deezer and others bring support, Spotify doesn’t.

Spotify has ONE job, to be a great streaming music platform. They suck. They complain about being at a disadvantage (they were) but when Apple levels the field (probably to look good with government regulators) Spotify goes silent and doesn’t take advantage of the new opportunities.

The real kicker for me was my mom signed up for Spotify premium and it was a bitch to cancel. Close to 5 different confirmation pages where they switch around the ”cancel” and “cancel subscription” buttons to throw off users. Very deceptive and difficult. I’ve canceled Apple’s services before with ease.

Apple needs to fix their AI and music suggestions. The only reason my friends use Spotify is because they like Spotify’s recommendations better. Apple should work at that, they’ve got the money and talent.

My question to Spotify is: If you guys are so smart, why didn’t you come up and implement Spatial Audio before Apple? You mean to tell me you don’t hire any talented engineers?

 

[mdriftmeyer]

TIDAL actually has Spatial Audio, Dolby Atmos, Lossless, and MQA and has had these for a while. It's just that they cannot compete by trying to convince people it is worth $19.99 a month--so yes RIP if they continue to keep that price.

They need to bring it down to $9.99 and add more features. Since Square (Jack Dorsey) now owns TIDAL maybe we will see some interesting integrations come from them between Twitter and Cash App.

Jack Dorsey doesn't own Tidal or Square. Being a publicly traded company he has a minority stake in them.

 

[ghostface147]

It sounds......ok. It's definitely different, but idk...I need more time with it.

 

[Stuey3D]

For those saying RIP Tidal right now a free Tidal subscription is currently the only way to actually get Atmos music onto my Atmos home theatres without spending £170 on an Apple TV.

Tidal has an app that works on my Sony Android TV which passes Atmos perfectly to my receiver, right now Apple has nothing like that which is ridiculous in my opinion. They’ve been porting Apple TV+ to as many platforms as possible but then haven’t bothered with Apple Music, my Sony TV is fully Dolby Atmos/Vision/HomeKit/AirPlay 2/AppleTV+ compliant but I sure as hell can’t get Atmos music from Apple working on it. The fact that it’s not on PlayStation or Xbox is practically handing subscribers over to Spotify which is available on those platforms.

When Atmos music is played over a home theatre it sounds absolutely amazing, and it’s a shame that after my free subscription to Tidal runs out I’ll have to go back to normal music again until Apple can pull their finger out, I won’t be subscribing to Tidal full time as I already have Apple One for the family and I’m not paying double for music, and as for Apple TV I refuse to buy it just for Atmos music as I have multiple other devices that do everything else an Apple TV can do so it would be a waste of money and precious HDMI port.

 

[69Mustang]

My question to Spotify is: If you guys are so smart, why didn’t you come up and implement Spatial Audio before Apple? You mean to tell me you don’t hire any talented engineers?

As mentioned by Techwatcher, Tidal already has 360 Reality Audio (Spacial Audio), Dolby Atmos, Lossless, and Master Quality Audio.

Spotify to ouimetnick:
1. We did. 2. No, we don't mean to tell you anything like that. It would be a lie. 😂

 

[FightTheFuture]

I know Apple has been in the music distribution business since early 2003, and being a larger company they probably have more leverage, but that doesn’t excuse Spotify for sitting on their ass.

Spotify complains about not being able to make a proper AW app. Apple finally let’s them and Spotify does a half assed job.

Spotify users beg and even sign a petition for Spotify to bring offline music support to AW. Spotify ignores their users for YEARS and finally brought it a month ago. Wtf?

Spotify complains that Apple won’t allow them to support HomePod. (poor choice by Apple, probably why the original HomePod was a failure) Apple finally opens up support for 3rd parties on the HomePod, Pandora, Deezer and others bring support, Spotify doesn’t.

Spotify has ONE job, to be a great streaming music platform. They suck. They complain about being at a disadvantage (they were) but when Apple levels the field (probably to look good with government regulators) Spotify goes silent and doesn’t take advantage of the new opportunities.

The real kicker for me was my mom signed up for Spotify premium and it was a bitch to cancel. Close to 5 different confirmation pages where they switch around the ”cancel” and “cancel subscription” buttons to throw off users. Very deceptive and difficult. I’ve canceled Apple’s services before with ease.

Apple needs to fix their AI and music suggestions. The only reason my friends use Spotify is because they like Spotify’s recommendations better. Apple should work at that, they’ve got the money and talent.

My question to Spotify is: If you guys are so smart, why didn’t you come up and implement Spatial Audio before Apple? You mean to tell me you don’t hire any talented engineers?

The AW thing to me was a huge issue. Especially since they supported Fitbit and Samsung wearables before AW. Spotify doesn’t care and that’s why I’ll never use it again.

 

[anthony13]

well is it really a question ? I mean … how could you not re-download music !? Always complaining for sure …

I'm definitely one that doesnt like it when people complain too much, but hear me out on this: It's Apple. Wouldn't you expect a 'update library' option? Have you actually tried downloading lossless and dolby to your library yet? you have to literally select each album and remove, then redownload it. Because apple music is in the cloud, and the cloud isn't perfect, sometimes right after you hit 'remove download' nothing happens, because the album repopulates from your other device. then you have to quit out. rinse and repeat. restart. maybe. sometimes.

i'm just saying, this hasn't been smooth.

 

[TheDailyApple]

Ironically, I suspect Android users will get more out of lossless over Bluetooth than iPhone users. Android supports aptX, aptX HD, and LDAC, while iPhone only supports Bluetooth over AAC.

Obviously a wired connection with a high quality DAC is ideal, but LDAC is the best bluetooth option.