New AirPods Pro Firmware Introduces Spatial Audio Support and Automatic Switching

[JGIGS]

This is pretty exciting news. Does anyone know how their Airpods 2 react with the auto switching if they also have them paired to a non Apple device?

Does that kill the auto switch or does still work with the apple devices even after connecting to the non apple device? My guess is you have to manually connect again to an apple device and then it should auto switch among apple devices and then you'd manually have to connect to the non apple device again if you want to use it on that device? And repeat this as you use the non apple device?

 

[bobmans]

I thought spatial audio was supposed to simulate surround sound? Why would I want the sound to appear like it’s originating from the phone?

It's simulating surround sound and it's incredible, it's just hard to describe.
Just watched 10minutes of a movie to try it out. For example: I heard the actor's voice coming from my left and I looked at my left towards that voice it was like I was moving my head towards the sound.
Very hard to describe, it's basically like you're in a room with people and you can move your head around to "watch" where the sound comes from.

 

[Squuiid]

Anyone try in Big Sur?

 

[RedGala]

All this time I thought spatial audio was a developer API for immersive sound experiences. This sounds beat, but why would you want to simulate directed sound coming out of your iPhone?

 

[Bronken]

I am on iOS 13.7 and my Airpods Pro just updated to 3A283

 

[moabal]

Does automatic switching work with Apple TV? I can only get it to work (sometimes) between iPhone and iPad.

 

[otternonsense]

The new 3A283 firmware that Apple released for the AirPods Pro today appears to introduce support for Spatial Audio, a new feature coming to the higher-end AirPods with iOS 14.

Multiple reports on Twitter and the MacRumors forums indicate that the firmware update adds a "Spatial Audio" option to the Control Center, which can be activated to enable the feature. Note that using Spatial Audio requires the iOS 14 update to be installed.

Early reports from the MacRumors forums suggest Spatial Audio is functional and working with Apple TV+ content. Several people who have tested the feature have been impressed, calling the audio "immersive," "mind-blowing" and "trippy." From a MacRumors reader with Spatial Audio working: Introduced at WWDC and coming in iOS 14, Spatial Audio brings movie theater-like sound to the earbuds. Spatial audio uses dynamic head tracking to create immersive sound anywhere in space by applying directional audio filters and subtle frequency adjustments.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1305583149620097024

Spatial audio uses the gyroscope and accelerometer in the AirPods Pro and iPhone to track the motion of your head and your iPhone's position, comparing the motion data, and then remapping the sound field so that it stays anchored to your device even as your head moves.

Today's update also appears to enable the feature that allows for automatic switching between devices, which is available for AirPods and AirPods Pro. Automatic switching will connect the AirPods to any Apple device signed associated with your iCloud when you activate audio on that device and are actively using it.

Article Link: New AirPods Pro Firmware Introduces Spatial Audio Support and Automatic Switching

Ah ok makes sense that you need the 14 beta for it to work. It did update on mine but on iOS 13 the feature is not there yet. #soon

 

[gsmornot]

All this time I thought spatial audio was a developer API for immersive sound experiences. This sounds beat, but why would you want to simulate directed sound coming out of your iPhone?

Dont imagine coming from your iPhone, its coming from where you have your screen. Yes that would be your phone but if you were at the theatre or in person, the sound would be coming from the person speaking. In this case, the person speaking is on your phone display so as you move your head, the sound stays with the speaker. Best way I can describe it.

 

[romaguyntx]

I thought spatial audio was supposed to simulate surround sound? Why would I want the sound to appear like it’s originating from the phone?

I don't understand this either - have been googling all morning - why emulate sound coming from the screen?!?!?! Isn't that why I'm using headphones? This function description sounds different than the original description about spatial audio being more like surround.

 

[maxfromdenmark]

Sounds quite extreme...

yeah but it's like 2 minutes job vs. waiting for hours. Worth for try IMHO

 

[mnsportsgeek]

It's simulating surround sound and it's incredible, it's just hard to describe.
Just watched 10minutes of a movie to try it out. For example: I heard the actor's voice coming from my left and I looked at my left towards that voice it was like I was moving my head towards the sound.
Very hard to describe, it's basically like you're in a room with people and you can move your head around to "watch" where the sound comes from.

Ah that's what I like to hear. The MacRumors post made it sound like it just made the audio sound like it was coming from the phone, which i'm not sure is really necessary.

 

[oneteam]

WOW!!! spatial audio is incredible. I don't want to remove my AirPods ever again HAHAHA

 

[VSMacOne]

Just gave Ted Lasso a whirl. What a feature!!!!! This is really impressive!

LOL did the same thing myself

This spacial audio thing is quite nifty.

 

[dantracht]

That's wild.

 

[bobmans]

Ah that's what I like to hear. The MacRumors post made it sound like it just made the audio sound like it was coming from the phone, which i'm not sure is really necessary.

Definitely not. If you were standing in the middle of a circle of 10 people only the sound of the person right in front of you would be coming from your iPhone screen, even when moving your head that person's voice would keep coming from the same location. Very hard to describe haha. I can't believe this experience is coming out of something as small as Airpods.

 

[xxray]

My AirPods Pro are refusing to upgrade

 

[Charmandrigo]

Did Beats headphones with the H1 chip got an update? Those should be able to do the automatic switching too

 

[maj88]

I have iPadOS PB8 and updated AirPods Pro.
Can’t activate spatial audio..
There’s no such option where I browse settings.

 

[zilchfox]

Strange, mine won't update lol

 

[VSMacOne]

It took a LOOONG time to get mine to do it. I'm not sure which combo finally did it lol but it's done.

 

[dannyyankou]

I'm having a hard time getting automatic switching working on Big Sur. It's working great between iPhone and iPad though.

 

[Springman]

I am running IOS 14 on my iPad Pro 12.9 and my AirPods Pro also just updated. I pulled up a movie to watch and the sound was simply amazing. It doesn't seem to work with just music but it worked great with Toy Story 4. Still playing with it but wow! And yes, it seems like the sounds are coming from iPad speakers.

 

[FloatingBones]

This could be cool for a virtual [audio] reality experience of Find My Apple AirTag.

 

[JeffPerrin]

Just tested it. It’s ok but the turning my head to get the effect but I’m really hoping for surround sounds simulation.

It's supposed to, as I understand. The surround effect will likely depend on the source material (stereo vs 5.1 or Atmos) AND how it was mixed in the studio.

 

[Spishak]

I have iPadOS PB8 and updated AirPods Pro.
Can’t activate spatial audio..
There’s no such option where I browse settings.

Same with my iPad. It works on my iPhone 11 Pro.