Apple is now testing the latest Apple Music features for its Android client, including support for spatial audio and lossless audio, as well as automatic crossfading and other perks.
Non-Dolby audio encoded in intentional stereo will no longer sound dull with a new feature in Apple's iOS 15, iPadOS 15 and macOS 12 Monterey updates, dubbed “Spatialize Stereo”.
Spatial Audio with Dolby Atmos is one of the newest features available for Apple Music subscribers. The best part is that it's free, a boost to the audio experience without boosting the monthly price. Now, Apple's promoting the new feature in a brand new ad.
I can still remember what it was like hauling around a portable CD player with me everywhere I went back in my high school days. That was before MP3s really took off. Forking over money for some worthwhile headphones was worth it back then, maybe even more so than it is today for most use cases. But that digital takeover was inevitable, and, eventually, I was hauling around all sorts of different MP3 players instead of that CD player.
Before Apple got around to officially announcing Dolby Atmos support in Apple Music, along with Lossless Audio, it was the Apple Music Android app that hinted at its impending arrival. But then the rumor mill suggested that app wouldn't get support for the new feature. Now, here we are and Spatial Audio with Dolby Atmos is out there in the wild, and Android support is indeed in the works.
Yesterday, Apple unveiled the next big updates for its major platforms, including iOS 15. And the interviews discussion those things are probably coming soon enough. But Apple actually launched a new feature yesterday, by way of Apple Music.
Zane Lowe is currently Apple Music's co-head of Artist Relations, and also one of the service's most prominent radio hosts. So of course Apple would tap him to try and sell the idea of Spatial Audio for the music streaming service.
With iOS 15's announcement out of the way, it's time to get to AirPods.
Dolby Vision offers a richer viewing experience, but support from both the content and the hardware showing it off is needed to enjoy it. And for folks who use the Apple TV app on their Xbox, that support is coming.
Apple Music for Android reportedly won't be updated with support for Dolby Atmos audio when Apple rolls out its new lossless and spatial audio features on Apple Music in June.
Coming a day earlier than expected, Apple today officially announced that Apple Music subscribers can now enjoy spatial audio on the service thanks to Dolby Atmos support. Also, lossless audio will be coming to the entire Apple Music catalog, the company added.
While Tidal may not have as many subscribers as Spotify or Apple Music, one of the benefits of the music streaming service is audio quality. And that trend continues with the latest addition to the service.