Update August 19: Good news for Netflix viewers with AirPods Pro or AirPods Max. Reports on Reddit show that spatial audio is active when watching Netflix. A Netflix spokesperson has now confirmed this. Suitable Netflix content with the appropriate audio options will automatically play in spatial audio if you have it enabled on the AirPods Pro or AirPods Max. You can enable it from the Control Panel by holding down the audio slider.
With spatial audio sounds a kind of surround sound is created. It's like you're right in the middle of the action, which also takes your head movements into account. As of iOS 15, content that is not originally suitable for spatial audio will also be played with spatial audio, thanks to the Spatialize Stereo feature.
In January of this year, it was claimed that Netflix was testing the feature, but a month later it was denied again by Netflix. It is not entirely clear whether Netflix subsequently started working with the feature. In any case, the good news is that it is now supported.
Update February 23: Netflix has responded to MacRumors that they are testing spatial audio support. According to the streaming service, that is not true. The spokesperson said Netflix is not testing spatial audio and has no plans to make it available to the public anytime soon. However, Netflix was testing multi-channel support for built-in speakers.
Original article January 15
If the test is successful, the film service should launch a “small catalog” want to get started. The function has been tested since December 2020, the French website iPhonesoft discovered. The source of the rumors is an American employee of Netflix itself. A specific release date or which films it concerns is not yet known. Spatial audio is available on the AirPods Pro and AirPods Max. It has been available since June 2020. By paying attention to your head movements, spatial audio can make you seem to be right in the middle of the action. The audio comes from all sides.
Spatial audio for Netflix movies
In addition, the gyroscope and accelerometer in the AirPods are used to determine your position and record movement data. The sound profile is then adjusted to it, even if you move your head. The sound therefore appears three-dimensional, as if you are in a cinema. Currently, there are few services that already support spatial audio. Apple's own Apple TV+ works with it, of course, but otherwise you're mainly dependent on content from Disney+ and HBO Max.
Spatial audio only works on the iPhone and iPad, so if Netflix puts it in it will only work on the titles you watch on both devices – and not, for example, via the smart TV apps or on the Apple TV. For televisions, there are already all kinds of standards for creating good sound quality, such as Dolby Atmos. The Apple TV 4K supports Dolby Atmos, but the iPhones can also play such content.
Revision history:
- 2021 – August 19, 08:45: Article updated after spatial audio was introduced in Netflix.
- 2021 – February 23, 08:36: Article updated after Netflix denial.