Spatial Audio is an intriguing feature that's made its way to Apple's new AirPods Max, following the introduction of the audio technology with the AirPods Pro. Owners of the AirPods Pro who have been able to use Spatial Audio have enjoyed an immersive virtual sound experience. With the increased capabilities of the AirPods Max, users should be able to enjoy surround sound content even more; they just have to know where to find it.
The $549.99 AirPods Max were unveiled on December 8, 2020, and began shipping on December 15. In addition to Spatial Audio and its capabilities, the AirPods Max have features like Active Noise Cancellation, Adaptive EQ, and Transparency Mode that add to the audio experience. It's Spatial Audio, though, that has the ability to transform the way Apple users consume content on their mobile devices.
To do that, of course, users have to know where to find content that's compatible with Spatial Audio. Officially, the feature is available for content that's recorded in 5.1, 7.1, and Dolby Atmos. To date, the apps that have been confirmed to have supported content for Spatial Audio include Apple TV+, Disney+, Netflix, Plex, HBO Max, and Hulu. In addition to watching content from one of these apps, users have to have certain Apple mobile devices that are compatible with the feature, including the iPhone 7 or later and the 6th generation iPad or later. Whatever device they watch on also needs to have iOS or iPadOS 14 or later to achieve the Spatial Audio experience.
Why Spatial Audio Is A Big Deal For Apple Users
Prior to Apple's introduction of Spatial Audio, AirPods users were limited to stereo listening. While stereo audio still produces good sound, especially for music, it typically misses out on the full, detailed sound that's known as a staple of multi-channel home theater systems. Without the help of a full set of speakers or a soundbar, however, it's historically been difficult to get access to that kind of audio.
Spatial Audio changes that for Apple users. In order to watch movies and TV shows in surround sound, they no longer need large theater systems. Instead, a pair of AirPods Pro or AirPods Max, a compatible mobile Apple device, and an app with properly mixed content on it will do the trick. Of course, for the AirPods Max, that still means spending more than $500 plus the cost of a mobile Apple device and a subscription to an applicable streaming service. It's undoubtedly still an expensive endeavor, but it would be a worthy one for any Apple user that spends a considerable amount of time watching movies or TV shows on their iPhone or iPad.
Source: Apple