Dolby Atmos’ latest competitor is not what I anticipated

Dolby Atmos is among the hottest, and arguably top-of-the-line, spatial audio formats on this planet. Google and Samsung not too long ago teamed as much as create its competitor to Dolby Atmos referred to as Eclipsa Audio, and now Apple needs to construct upon Dolby Atmos too with its personal spatial audio format.

Throughout its latest WWDC keynote, Apple did not waste any time. It showcased its new Liquid Glass design, enhancements to iPadOS, updates to CarPlay, and new options for iOS, together with Call Screening and Hold Assist. Nevertheless, one factor Apple did not point out throughout its hour-and-a-half-long keynote was its new spatial audio format, aptly named Apple Spatial Audio Format (ASAF).

ASAF was launched in a developer session throughout WWDC (by way of FlatpanelsHD), with Apple stating it is designed to ship “actually immersive audio experiences” for iOS, iPadOS, tvOS, macOS, and visionOS. Nevertheless, in contrast to Elicpsa Audio, ASAF is not a rival to Dolby Atmos — but.

What’s Dolby Atmos and ASAF?

ASAF is delivered by means of Apple’s APAC audio codec, which nonetheless helps Dolby Atmos

Pocket-lint / Apple

If you happen to’re unfamiliar with the precise ins and outs of Dolby Atmos, it is a spatial audio format that creates a practical and immersive 3D sound expertise. It is supported on quite a few streaming platforms, together with Disney+ and Netflix, and lots of modern-day TVs include Dolby Atmos assist.

The first distinction between Dolby Atmos sound and common encompass sound (reminiscent of 5.1) is that Atmos creates a 3D spatial expertise, making it really feel as if the sound is coming from throughout you at totally different heights, somewhat than simply from left, proper, or heart.

So what does ASAF must do with this? As Flatpanels HD stories, ASAF is basically Apple’s model of Dolby Atmos, and it is designed to create an immersive 3D sound setting. ASAF has two important elements you have to be conscious of. The primary is ASAF itself, utilized by builders in audio and video manufacturing to place audio components in a 3D area. The second is APAC (Apple Positional Audio Codec), the codec liable for delivering ASAF to customers.

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Whereas not sufficient to make me buy a Imaginative and prescient Professional, distinctive experiences like this are what’s bought me on blended actuality.

ASAF actually excels with the Apple Imaginative and prescient Professional, enabling sound to flow into in a practical 3D area round you, by understanding the digital setting you are in. It responds to actions, reminiscent of turning your head, and dynamically adjusts components like quantity, echo, and reverb. The principle distinction between Dolby Atmos and ASAF is that Dolby Atmos assumes you are sitting in a single spot in your front room or in a movie show, whereas ASAF has the flexibility to adapt sound to your actions in actual time, making a extra immersive expertise.

Whereas ASAF will be performed on all of Apple’s platforms, like iOS or macOS, will probably be skilled finest with visionOS on account of its give attention to augmented actuality experiences.

Apple stated at WWDC 2025 that the brand new APAC codec might be required for all Immersive Video titles going ahead. Nevertheless, creators can nonetheless use Dolby Atmos throughout the APAC codec, which means that ASAF is not exactly a Dolby Atmos rival simply but, as it might nonetheless be used at the side of it on Apple gadgets to ship compelling audio experiences. Nevertheless, I would not be stunned if Apple’s endgame right here is to make ASAF a real different to Dolby Atmos sooner or later.

ASAF is simply supported on Apple gadgets, so will probably be tough for it to ever absolutely exchange Dolby Atmos. With that in thoughts, don’t be concerned about Dolby Atmos going anyplace anytime quickly, because of its broad assist for a spread of various gadgets.

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Don’t be concerned — you will not have to improve in the event you already like your present Atmos setup.