I remember a time when it was hard to get Dolby certification on things - since Atmos they give it to anything, phones, laptops, headphones, it's a farce.
It might play it back, it won't sound like surround sound, it will sound *****, you should stick to the stereo versions which wound good (at least on the original homepod, this one might not be as nice sounding)
Perhaps not everyone is an Audio Engineer...
There are indeed a lot of Atmos approved devices out there that are no way the correct hardware and rely on virtualization tricks. The tricks have certainly improved heaps over the years though with faster processing and better modelling. 30 years ago we had those awful presets for Stadiums or Club 1
I have a Samsung Q990B soundbar. It's certainly better than previous versions that were also Atmos ticked.
But none of theses convenience devices match in-ceiling, high end speaker/amp setups.
For most people though, decent bass and throwing sound around is a big step up without the setup hassle and expense.
The improvement in cheaper sound devices and the tech to make it has come a long way.
The first time I heard a JamBox I couldnt believe the bass from such a small device.
The hamburger (expanding) tiny speakers left 50 year old transistor radios for dead in similar sized packages.
Purists can argue all they like that MIDI music is never in time.
But for most people, this is the music they grew up listening to.
Music has always been about emotion and place and not so much the tech behind it.
When I fire up a 50s or 60s track in Spotify, I'm astounded at the lack of hiss and crackle I knew were on the CDs of the same songs and probably in the master recordings. Most older music has been cleaned up and given a new life. 9 times out of 10 it sounds fresh and modern. Occasionally you still get flat, dull, lifeless cleanup that sounds just dreadful. Like MP3s, Spotify fills a convenience slot for the majority of listeners. I'm betting people listening to YouTube "Atmos" sample videos and think it's the real thing because the video says it is and their soundbars play it back in some approximation of surround. Listening to a real (confirmed on soundbar info button from a demo site) Atmos track can be an awesome experience. But then is takes a good audio mixer of the track to elevate it too. Not all achieve great results or any sense of surround.
It's sad to learn so many people watch Netflix with subtitles on because the mixing is so bad on vocals that they are overpowered by music and effects and you can't understand what's being said.
