Spatial audio support is finally rolling out in the Netflix iOS app. The function should be Available Soon to all iPhone and iPad users with iOS or iPadOS 14.6 (or higher).
Unfortunately in contrast to other spatial audio compatible apps like Apple music and Apple TV +, which a. support large selection of the playback devices, Netflix only supports spatial audio through the AirPods Pro or AirPods Max. Support for additional playback devices may be added in the future. Apple also plans to provide spatial audio support for Mac and Apple TV devices in the future.
Right now, you can watch Netflix content with 5.1 or Dolby Atmos surround sound on iPhone and iPad through your AirPods Pro or AirPods Max:
- Connect your AirPods Pro or AirPods Max to your iPhone or iPad.
- Open the Netflix app and look for content that has a surround sound mix (e.g. 5.1 Surround or Dolby Atmos).
- Open Control Panel (swipe down from the top-right corner of your device’s screen).
- Long press the volume slider to open the audio options.
- Tap the Spatial Audio icon to enable it.
You can also adjust the spatial audio in the iOS / iPadOS Settings app under. switch Settings> Bluetooth. Tap the “I” next to the device name in the Bluetooth list, then scroll down and tap “Spatial Audio” Slider.
Note that not all Netflix content will play in spatial audio, even with the feature enabled. It only works for movies and TV shows with some form of surround sound mixing.
However, Netflix’s spatial audio rollout also includes preventative support for iOS 15’s spatial audio conversion feature, which uses AI to convert content recorded in stereo or mono to multichannel audio. In theory, the feature could add 5.1 surround sound to older movies and TV shows that only play stereo. It should work with other spatial audio compatible apps like HBO Max, Disney +, Apple TV +, and Apple Music as well.
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The forced spatial audio conversion option appears in the iOS and iPadOS audio options if you’re using a supported app and playback device, but it won’t work until you’ve installed the full version of iOS 15 later this year. or try the public beta.
[The Verge]
