Apple HomePod users watching their favorite content on their Apple TV 4K device will soon be able to enjoy TV and movies with Dolby Atmos audio.
Apple plans to release software for the HomePod that will allow Apple's smart speaker to support both 5.1- and 7.2-channel audio, as well as Dolby Atmos. The Verge has no idea when this update will be release has not yet been determined, but it reports that the pending update.
This new feature will be a tidy alternative for those looking for a better audio solution who do not want to invest in multiple surround sound speakers to complete the effect.
The feature is intended to work with dual HomePod speakers placed in a room, but can also work alone with a single device. According to Apple, this feature works best when two HomePod speakers are paired together.
Support for Dolby Atmos was confirmed at the same time that support was added to iOS 14.2 and tvOS 14.2 Beta 3 for using HomePod as a speaker output for Apple TV. This option, like the receiver and headphone audio options, can be left in place for as long as needed.
This is a feature that Amazon Echo Studio already offers support for, as it will allow the Dolby Atmos option for Fire TV device users starting in late 2019. Apple was a bit late to the party in this regard, but the company is finally ready to start taking notes and begin applying it to its current lineup of home products--except for the latest release, of course.
Apple just announced its new $99 Siri-powered smart speaker, the HomePod mini. the HomePod mini will not support 5.1- and 7.1-channel audio options for Dolby Atmos sound. Still, the new speaker is interesting enough to look at, as it is a rounded speaker that bears little resemblance to the old HomePod, but the new model would oddly happen to miss all the features that the old HomePod could deliver.
Still, if you are interested in switching to the new HomePod mini without the audio bells and whistles that Apple's software update provides for HomePod, the new speaker will be available starting November 16. The new speaker will be available starting November 16.
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