this is how you use Apple Spatial audio on iPhone and AirPods
The AirPods 3, AirPods Pro and Beats Fit Pro have spatial audio, but what is it anyway? And what can you do with it? iPhoned explains what Spatial Audio is and how to use it on your iPhone and iPad!
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Spatial audio: this is it…
Spatial audio (or in English: Spatial Audio) gives the sound of movies or music an extra dimension. It’s basically Apple’s version of surround sound. This makes the sound seem to come from all sides, and not just from the left or right, which is the case with stereo sound.
…and this is how you use it on your iPhone with your AirPods
To listen to spatial audio on your AirPods with your iPhone (or iPad), you must first connect your AirPods (or Beats) to your device. Don’t know how to do that? Then read the article below.
Read more: How to connect AirPods to your iPhone, iPad, Mac and other devices
Have you connected the AirPods once? Then you still have to turn on the spatial audio. You do that in the control panel. Below you can read step-by-step how to do this.
Enable Spatial Audio on AirPods
- Swipe down in the top right corner to open Control Center (on an iPhone with a Home button, swipe from bottom to top);
- Tap and hold the AirPods with your finger;
- Tap the ball with the figure at the bottom and choose ‘Fixed’ or ‘Main tracked’;
If you choose ‘head tracked’ in step 3 above, the sound will follow your head movements. The sound will then continue to come from the direction of your iPhone or iPad, even if you turn your head to the left or right. Don’t you like that? Or do you want to listen to the sound in the normal way (but spatially)? Then choose the option ‘Fixed’.
These apps have spatial audio support
You also need equipment so that you can enjoy spatial audio. These are the main apps that support spatial audio.
Note: the content offered in the app must also support spatial sound (also referred to as Dolby Atmos). For example, in Apple Music you can find special playlists with only spatial audio.
If the video or music only contains stereo sound, there is no need for the man. Since iOS 15 and iPadOS 15, stereo sound is also played in a kind of surround sound. This allows the sound (from YouTube, for example) to be converted to a kind of Spatial Audio.
This feature is sometimes referred to as “Spatialize Stereo” online. You set this in the same way with your AirPods in the control panel. Below the volume bar you will see whether the sound is stereo or Dolby Atmos (spatial).
AirPods and Beats with Spatial Audio
Not all AirPods support Apple’s spatial sound. The list of earbuds that support Spatial Audio is as follows:
The AirPods 2 (and the first generation AirPods) unfortunately do not have Apple Spatial Audio. So you will have to buy a new set of AirPods if you still want to listen to spatial sound.
And you need this too
In addition to the AirPods or Beats mentioned above, you naturally need a device on which you play the spatial material. These are:
Incidentally, Spatial Audio also works on all Mac computers with Apple silicon. These are the laptops and Macs with the M1 chip or higher. Spatial audio also works on an Apple TV 4K with tvOS 15. Make sure you have iOS 15 or iPadOS 15 installed on your iPhone or iPad.
Buy AirPods with Spatial Audio
Don’t have AirPods yet, but do you want to buy them after reading this article? Then quickly check our AirPods price comparison for the best price! Make sure you buy the good AirPods if you want to listen to spatial audio. Below we have listed the best prices of AirPods with Spatial Audio for you!
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