Apple today announced that starting in June, Apple Music subscribers will have access to higher quality Lossless audio streaming, as well as Dolby Atmos, which replicates an immersive audio experience.
Despite Spatial Audio for movies and TV shows being only available on the AirPods Pro and AirPods Max, Dolby Atmos for Apple Music, which Apple describes as creating an "immersive audio format that enables musicians to mix music so it sounds like the instruments are all around you in space" will be compatible with all AirPods models as well as other headphones.
Apple says that Dolby Atmos will automatically be enabled for songs that support it with all AirPods and BeatsX, Beats Solo3 Wireless, Beats Studio3, Powerbeats3 Wireless, Beats Flex, Powerbeats Pro, and Beats Solo Pro headphones. Users using other branded headphones will need to enable it manually.
Apple Music subscribers using the latest version of Apple Music on iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple TV7 can listen to thousands of Dolby Atmos music tracks using any headphones. When you listen with compatible Apple or Beats headphones, Dolby Atmos music plays back automatically when available for a song. For other headphones, go to Settings > Music > Audio and set Dolby Atmos to Always On. You can also hear Dolby Atmos music using the built‑in speakers on a compatible iPhone, iPad, MacBook Pro, or HomePod, or by connecting your Apple TV 4K to a compatible TV or audiovisual receiver.
Apple says that thousands of songs will support both lossless and Dolby Atmos audio at launch, with new songs being added "regularly."
Top Rated Comments
I have a Sonos surround sound system. Sonos Arc Sound bar which has 2 atmos height speakers built in, 2x Sonos One’s for rear surrounds and the Sonos sub. All with eARC for uncompressed hi-res Dolby Atmos. And it actually does well in representing the ‘height’ for me in my flat with a small living room. YMMV depending on your space of course.
Obviously it wont match physical speakers built in to the roof but dismissing it as a joke obviously means you’ve not actually heard some of the newer sound bars that have released.
At least you get the choice to just not use the feature. Everyone else that would like to can try it and enjoy it!
Watching films on a phone or tablet is nothing like a big screen.
Edit: Looks like I missed the article answering my question (and now I'm even more excited):
"You can also hear Dolby Atmos music using the built‑in speakers on a compatible iPhone, iPad, MacBook Pro, or HomePod, or by connecting your Apple TV 4K to a compatible TV or audiovisual receiver."
That said, concerts with Atmos? I want that to happen. Being able to face the crowd and have such a more immersive atmosphere would be amazing.
Atmos can also be created using headphones designed for it (AirPods Pro and Max etc).