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When I updated mine for the first time iPhone 11 Pro to iOS 14 When I tried Apple's new spatial audio feature, I was a little confused. "I'm not sure what's going on," I wrote to a colleague. "Apparently I have the new firmware [3A283] on AirPods Pro. They say I have spatial audio. But I don't experience what some people describe. Restart the phone and earbuds. "
That made the difference. After turning the phone back on and putting the buds back in my ears (after briefly putting them back in the charging case), I started another movie on Apple TV and was greeted by a completely different audio experience. It's hard to describe the feeling, but my immediate reaction was to check that the earbuds were indeed on as the sound sounded like it was coming from the phone (not the buds) which was about three feet from me sat away on the table. It was a budless experience. (Instructions on how to enable spatial audio can be found here.)
Back in July, after Apple first announced the feature, I wrote about how spatial audio had the chance to change the game headphone Function and how Bose and Sony should be concerned, especially if Apple makes it AirPods Studio, its rumored full-size headphones that will be announced this month along with the new one iPhone 12.
At that point, I hadn't heard spatial audio in action, so I wasn't ready to go on a limb and declare it revolutionary. However, now that it's out I can say it lives up to the hype. It changes the viewing experience on small screens and adds a true surround sound experience, but limited by the sound quality of the AirPods Pro.
Continue reading:: Apple's new spatial audio function is likely to cause concern for Bose and Sony
The AirPods Pro converts digital audio signals with 5.1 channels, 7.1 channels or Dolby Atmos into virtual surround - and finally works with any video streaming app that supports multi-channel audio, including Vudu, Netflix, Hulu, Disney Plus and HBO Go and of course Max, Amazon Video and the Apple TV Plus app. (The feature does not currently work for Netflix or Amazon Video.)
I saw about 15 minutes of the film 1917 from my library on Apple TV Plus, along with an episode of Ted Lasso - a surprise hit for Apple - then switched to HBO Max on an iPad (6th generation) to watch Midway, which seemed ideal for testing surround sound effects with all of its WWII aerial combat scenes and aircraft carrier bombing enemy fire.
It was a budless experience
No, spatial audio doesn't offer the same surround sound experience as my 7.1 home theater with seven speakers and a sub appropriately placed in a room (I didn't set up an Atmos). But it's a decent facsimile made more notable because it came from such tiny earbuds. You get the feeling that bullets are flying around you in these dive bombing scenes in Midway and the audio generally feels more spacious and directional.
As I said earlier, simulated surround sound is not a new feature. It's been available through headphones for many years, most recently with Dolby Atmos. Apple's new spatial audio feature uses the AirPods Pro's built-in accelerometers and gyroscopes to track the movement of your head while tracking the location of your iPhone or iPad with their accelerometers and gyroscopes.
The sound is virtually placed in a 3D space relative to the position of your screen. As you turn your head or move the device, the dialogue track - the actors' voices - remains frozen on the screen, and sounds seem to come from behind, above you, and left and right. If you turn around and look in the opposite direction from your screen, the dialogue actually seems to be coming from behind. When you move your head, the surround effects usually go away.
The feature only works with the iPhone 7 or better (it works with the new iPhone SE, but not the old SE, iPhone 6S or an iPod Touch) and newer iPads (the 12.9-inch third-generation iPad or higher ). 11-inch iPad Pro, third-generation iPad Air, sixth generation or better iPad, and fifth-generation iPad Mini). Stereo tracks can also be handled spatial audio if the app developer adds an Apple plug-in. Starting with a stereo signal, however, is unlikely to produce the best virtual surround experience.
Most people should be impressed by what they hear. But as I said, the AirPods Pro have their sonic limitations in terms of overall sound quality - clarity and definition are a bit lacking for audiophile standards. I couldn't help but wonder how much better the spatial audio experience would be with full sized headphones, which could presumably deliver higher quality audio and have longer life batteries than the AirPods Pro that usually need to be after one a few years of heavy use.
While we wait for the AirPods Studio to arrive, we see that AirPods Pro is priced at $ 199or $ 50 less than list price on Flash sales. With a variety of competing models and others like Bose's QuietComfort earphonesThe AirPods Pro are nowhere near the only true wireless noise-canceling earbuds.
Fast switching between devices
iOS 14 also brought a new quick-toggle feature for AirPods Pro and second-generation AirPods that allows Apple users to automatically switch between their Apple devices that are signed in to their iCloud accounts. For example, I watched Apple TV Plus on my iPhone and then switched to HBO Max on my iPad. As soon as the audio started on the iPad, I heard it in my AirPods Pro. I then switched to a 12-inch MacBook to make a Zoom call (quick toggle is enabled on Macs running Mac OS 11 - Big Sur - currently in beta). When a call comes in on your iPhone, you can answer it and the sound will automatically move.
At a time when the AirPods Pro are no longer as noticeable as they were when they first launched, spatial audio in particular and, to a lesser extent, quick switching offer some unique features for iOS users. It helps them to appear more innovative again. That's a pleasant surprise, especially for those who have already paid quite a bit of money for a pair of AirPods Pro and are now getting a free upgrade.
