If you own an Apple TV 4K with a pair of Spatial Audio-enabled AirPods and a Disney+ subscription, the latest free update to the Disney app is a big plus: You now get full Dolby Atmos support when watching in Spatial Audio.
However, if you have an Android TV or Google TV, including Sony, TCL and Hisense models, as well as Nvidia Shield devices, a recent update has had the opposite effect: for many users, Dolby Atmos support seems to have disappeared.
Both updates were spotted by FlatpanelsHD (opens in a new tab) when users shared their stories of Android agony — and AirPods ecstasy — online.
The good news for Android and Google TV users is that many people have already noticed that the problem is being fixed, probably with a server-side solution, which means that a new version of the app is not required. . For many people, Dolby Atmos might be back when you try it, so that's okay, but if you find the sound from your Dolby Atmos soundbar suddenly sounds a bit flat and you're using the app on your Dolby Atmos-enabled TV Google, which is probably why.
So what is this Apple TV update all about?
The update for Apple TV users is relatively subtle, but it's still very welcome. Until now, when you listened to movies on Disney+ with AirPods 3rd Gen, AirPods Pro, or AirPods Max, you got Spatial Audio, but only with a boring Dolby 5.1 surround mix, even though the Disney+ app does support Dolby Atmos.
This update means you'll get full Dolby Atmos object-based audio support, with FlatpanelsHD confirming 16-channel output. You'll get much more precise positioning of sounds in the space around you when using Spatial Audio's head tracking, even with the height channels.
If you've never tried Spatial Audio in Dolby Atmos movie headphones, we can't recommend it highly enough. It feels like a full theater multi-speaker setup, and you can really crank up the volume... but no one else will hear it, obviously. If you want the full movie experience after the kids are asleep, there's no better way to do it than an Apple TV 4K, a Dolby Atmos movie, and a pair of AirPods with Spatial Audio support.
And no one has to know that the movie you chose to experience all of that was Moana. At least until you start singing.
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