Apple Music's Spatial Audio Feature Doesn't Work With Built-In Speakers of iPhone XR, iPad, or iPad mini [Updated]

[podycust]

Well that can’t be right on my XR it plays tracks in atmos format through the phones speakers. I normally listen to music on phone using my beats powerbeats which also aren’t mentioned in that support article lol

I’ve checked the settings it’s set to auto before anyone asks lol

 

[podycust]

Couldn’t you force it work if you turn on “always on” in Dolby Atmos settings?

Yes you can but set to auto it plays tracks in atmos format through my XR speakers lol

 

[turbineseaplane]

I don't even know what Apple means by Spatial Audio at this point.

What a weird mess

 

[Paddle1]

The XS is older than the XR. The XS was released September 2018 and XR October 2018. Might want to double check that as "later" could very well include the XR.

 

[turbineseaplane]

The XR, the XS, the XDR, the SE, a Pro....a Plus....a Max....a Pro Max

When did Apple lose the refreshing simplicity in product branding.

What a jumble

 

[eas]

Those who have older iPhones and iPads can still access spatial audio with several headphone options including AirPods, AirPods Pro, AirPods Max, Beats X, Beats Solo3 Wireless, Beats Studio3, Powerbeats3 Wireless, Beats Flex, Powerbeats Pro, Beats Solo Pro, or Beats Studio Buds.

And, as before, any headphones work if you set Atmos to "Always" instead of automatic.

They may even work when it appears they don't, because, thanks to a new bug in the latest version of Apple Music, the Atmos icon will sometimes disappear even though device is still playing back Atmos audio (toggling Atmos between Always and Off changes the audio, even though the Atmos logo isn't displayed).

Also, XS and XR came out at the same time. So, what does Apple's changed wording actually mean? My iPhone XR running 14.7 is displaying the Atmos icon when I'm playing through the devices built-in speakers.

 

[B4rbelith]

I don't even what Apple means by Spatial Audio at this point.

What a weird mess

I'm using AirPods Pro on my iPad running iOS 15, and the 'Spatialise Stereo' setting just sounds amazing. It's not tied to Atmos in any way and brings the music to life.

It's a night and day difference in my experience.

 

[jjudson]

So essentially this new feature doesn't work on...

...anything.

 

[sjsharksfan12]

Anyone who plays music from their phone speakers should be publicly flogged anyway.

If I'm not playing songs on my Air Pods (Which I guess are the originals), then I am doing it through the XR Speakers. I thought that was normal. Have I been doing it wrong this entire time?

 

[cnnyy20p]

I'm confused, I thought spatial audio was only for AirPods Pro and AirPods Max?

Spatial Audio just means 3D audio. Head Tracking is an addition feature from Apple to makes things more confusing. For example iPhone 11 supports spatial audio from built-in stereo speakers when holding horizontally.

 

[DavidLeblond]

Spatial Audio just means 3D audio. Head Tracking is an addition feature from Apple to makes things more confusing. For example iPhone 11 supports spatial audio from built-in stereo speakers when holding horizontally.

Interesting. I guess when I first saw something about Spatial Audio it must have been an article about the head tracking bit because my brain just filed that feature in a "does not apply to me" column since I don't have AirPod Pros or Max.

 

[MysteryMii215]

Didn’t the XS come out before the XR? It would make sense if they tweaked it to say the XS or later, since the XS came out first.

 

[bananataffy]

I bet Mac Rumors is swinging for this to be a huge controversy to gain clicks, similar to how the AirPods Max doesn't support Apple Music Lossless Audio. The difference here is, no one cares.

Same reason why I don't care that my e-book reader doesn't support G-Sync, 120Hz variable refresh rate, Dolby Vision HDR 1000 with 99% DCI-P3 color gamut.

 

[skitidetdu]

Not only do they confuse their costumers, they seam to confuse themselves as well.

 

[yaxomoxay]

How can you enjoy music with an iPhone's built-in speakers?

 

[coolfactor]

How can you enjoy music with an iPhone's built-in speakers?

The built in speakers on all of these devices make me cringe. I don’t know how people can put music on and have it playing casually.

I've got the XR and I'm very impressed with the sound quality. Entirely usable and enjoyable. Particularly when recording video and then playing it back, the sound is very "spatial".

 

[TheWatchfulOne]

How can you enjoy music with an iPhone's built-in speakers?

Even people whose hearing isn't good enough to notice the difference in high quality speakers?

I thought spatial audio was the feature that, while wearing earbuds or headphones, no matter which way you turn your head the audio always feels like its coming from the device? How does that work when listening through phone or computer speakers?

 

[One2Grift]

This is a hot mess. I was away a few weeks ago in the middle of nowhere with friends and was looking forward to playing my playlist on my Bluetooth speaker I’d spent weeks curating… only to find every song stopped playing after 15 seconds, something that is listed in the bug fixes for iOS 14.7.

They need to give people the option to totally disable all this Atmos/Lossless crap until it’s invisible to the end user. Right now, I put a song on and will be wondering if I’m going to get to hear the whole thing or yet another error…I’d rather have AAC that will definitely play than 15 seconds of Lossless then disappointment.

Settings>Music>Dolby Atmos>Off.

Settings>Music>Audio Quality>Select non Lossless option

Problem solved, drama averted,

 

[Berti10]

This is so much nonsense. Just like requesting hi-res lossless for HomePod mini

 

[thejoshuabradshaw]

Spatial-Gate!

 

[One2Grift]

Even people whose hearing isn't good enough to notice the difference in high quality speakers?

I thought spatial audio was the feature that, while wearing earbuds or headphones, no matter which way you turn your head the audio always feels like its coming from the device? How does that work when listening through phone or computer speakers?

It may be "on" but the quality of the audio will be indiscernible from a loudspeaker on an iPad or smartphone. There is nothing to see here regarding music fidelity when speaking of loudspeakers the size of a breath mint that sits several feet away.

 

[puggsly]

The iPhone XR has the same speaker system as the XS, so this is very suspicious

iPhone XR actually came out after the iPhone XS.....so maybe it does?

 

[turbineseaplane]

iPhone XR actually came out after the iPhone XS.....so maybe it does?

Time for an XQ?

Maybe an XQ Pro Max Plus?

 

[JippaLippa]

I don't think lossless and spatial audio make any difference on a phone's speaker, to be fair.

 

[Zdigital2015]

Anyone who plays music from their phone speakers should be publicly flogged anyway.

I’m not carrying a Bluetooth speaker with me when I walk the dog, especially after the way he objected to me trying to strap it it to his back. Also, when I’m gardening or working on the fence. Perhaps you should get out more.