Spatial audio is a sonic feature exclusive to AirPods Pro and AirPods Max that adds surround sound to Apple's premium audio wearables. By utilizing dynamic head tracking, it brings a theater-like audio experience to the movie or video you're watching, so that it seems as if the sound is coming from all around you.
The feature works by comparing the data from your iOS device's gyroscope and accelerometer against the data from your AirPods Pro or AirPods Max, ensuring that the sound field stays anchored to the device, even if you move your head.
Unsurprisingly, spatial audio isn't universally supported by third-party apps and services. To save you spending time wondering if a particular app works with the feature, we've put together a list below of all the apps that have officially been updated to support Spatial Audio, and some popular apps that have yet to add support.
Popular Apps That Support Spatial Audio
Air Video HD (Turn on Surround in Audio settings)
Apple's TV app
Netflix
Disney+
FE File Explorer (DTS 5.1 unsupported)
Foxtel Go (Australia)
HBO Max
Hulu
Plex (Enable old video player in Settings)
Peacock
Discovery+
Paramount+
Vudu
Some TIDAL songs
Popular Apps That Don't Support Spatial Audio
Infuse
YouTube
Vimeo
VLC
Amazon Prime Video
We'll keep these lists updated as and when we learn of additional third-party apps and updates that come out in support of spatial audio. In the meantime, check the following details to make sure that your hardware is compatible with the feature.
What You Need to Use Spatial Audio
To take advantage of spatial audio on AirPods Pro or AirPods Max, you need an iPhone 7 or later or one of the iPad models listed below. Note that spatial audio is not supported by any Mac model or any Apple TV models.
You also need iOS 14 or iPadOS 14 or later installed on your device, as well as the latest firmware on your AirPods Pro or AirPods Max. To learn more about using spatial audio, check out our dedicated how-to article.
The reason the Macs and Apple TV don't support this is Apple doesn't just positionally track the AirPod Max or Pro, but it tracks the video device as well. The necessary hardware is not in the Mac or Apple TV (yet).
My uncle who works at Google told me YouTube will support Spatial Audio when Apple releases their car and it’s accompanying 12 foot by 12 foot AirPower charging mat.
I still don't understand this tech. Why wouldn't you want this to work like normal surround sound instead of virtual directional audio so it sounds like it's coming from your iPhone instead?
You can watch movies and distinguish sounds from the left, right, front and back and only need 2 sound sources. The method uses multi-channel audio (e.g. 5.1 AC3 or 7.1/Atmos E-AC3) and Apple recalculates it. It realistically only works with headphones though (and only in theory with 2 speakers). Due to the gyro head movement detection of the AirPods, which Apple includes in the sound calculation in real time, the sound positions remain stationary in the room even when the head is turned. I tried it with the AirPods Pro, which is stunning.
I still don't understand this tech. Why wouldn't you want this to work like normal surround sound instead of virtual directional audio so it sounds like it's coming from your iPhone instead?
Thursday March 28, 2024 11:07 am PDT by Juli Clover
Apple will introduce new iPad Pro and iPad Air models in early May, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Gurman previously suggested the new iPads would come out in March, and then April, but the timeline has been pushed back once again. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Apple is working on updates to both the iPad Pro and iPad Air models. The iPad Pro models will...
In November, Apple announced that the iPhone would support the cross-platform messaging standard RCS (Rich Communication Services) in the Messages app starting "later" in 2024, and Google has now revealed a more narrow timeframe. In a since-deleted section of the revamped Google Messages web page, spotted by 9to5Google, Google said that Apple would be adopting RCS on the iPhone in the "fall...
Thieves in Montreal, Canada have been using Apple's AirTags to facilitate vehicle theft, according to a report from Vermont news sites WCAX and NBC5 (via 9to5Mac). Police officers in Burlington, Vermont have issued a warning about AirTags for drivers who recently visited Canada. Two Burlington residents found Apple AirTags in their vehicles after returning from trips to Montreal, and these...
Apple's WWDC 2024 dates have been announced, giving us timing for the unveiling of the company's next round of major operating system updates and likely some other announcements. This week also saw some disappointing news on the iPad front, with update timing for the iPad Pro and iPad Air pushed back from previous rumors. We did hear some new tidbits about what might be coming in iOS 18 and...
Photos of the first iPhone 16 cases have been shared online, offering another preview of the rumored new vertical rear camera arrangement on the standard iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus. Image credit: Accessory leaker Sonny Dickson Over the last few months, Apple has been experimenting with different camera bump designs for the standard iPhone 16 models, all of which have featured a vertical ...
A $3 third-party app can now record spatial video on iPhone 15 Pro models in a higher resolution than Apple's very own Camera app. Thanks to an update first spotted by UploadVR, Spatialify can now record spatial videos with HDR in 1080p at 60fps or in 4K at 30fps. In comparison, Apple's native Camera app is limited to recording spatial video in 1080p at 30fps. Shortly after Apple's Vision ...
Top Rated Comments
The method uses multi-channel audio (e.g. 5.1 AC3 or 7.1/Atmos E-AC3) and Apple recalculates it.
It realistically only works with headphones though (and only in theory with 2 speakers).
Due to the gyro head movement detection of the AirPods, which Apple includes in the sound calculation in real time, the sound positions remain stationary in the room even when the head is turned. I tried it with the AirPods Pro, which is stunning.