In a strategic move to boost the popularity of Dolby Atmos, Apple is considering giving added weight to songs that offer this cutting-edge audio technology on its streaming service, Apple Music. Although the tech giant has yet to make an official announcement, industry experts believe that this move could potentially result in increased royalties for artists. With the aim of pushing Atmos into the mainstream, this decision aligns with the growing prevalence of mixing songs in Atmos and the continuous improvement in the quality of these mixes by sound engineers.
Apple is well-known for its support of the Atmos format across its wide range of devices, including AirPods, iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple TV, and HomePod. However, they are not alone in recognizing the potential of Atmos. Competitors such as Amazon and Sonos have also embraced the technology by offering Atmos-optimized speakers.
The leading subscription music service, Spotify, currently does not support spatial audio listening or streaming at lossless quality. Rumors have been circulating suggesting that these features could be introduced in a new subscription tier, priced higher than Spotify’s popular Premium offering. This potential move by Spotify comes in the wake of recent layoffs and changes to its royalty structure, which have faced criticism from artists and industry insiders.
As the music industry continues to evolve, Apple is positioning itself as a frontrunner by prioritizing innovative audio technologies like Dolby Atmos. By providing added weight to songs featuring this technology, Apple plans to incentivize artists and further establish its dominance in the streaming market. With the growing prevalence of mixing songs in Atmos and Apple’s comprehensive support across its devices, the stage is set for a landmark shift in the music listening experience.
