Apple has just announced a new way to listen to music in Spatial Audio: in a car. Spatial Audio, as you’ll know, is Apple’s audio format designed to create a surround-sound effect that’s immersive and appealing. It supports Dolby Atmos and works with music tracks and movie soundtracks, for instance. It works through Apple Music.
You can hear Spatial Audio on supported content if you’re listening through an iPhone, iPad, Mac or Apple TV, but it’s never been available in a car until now.
At this year’s Paris Motor Show, Apple announced that it’s now being supported by select Mercedes-Benz vehicles, specifically including the latest Mercedes-Maybach, EQS, EQS SUV, EQE, and S-Class models. More models will follow later, Apple says.
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Oliver Schusser, Apple’s vice president of Apple Music and Beats, explained, “Sound quality is incredibly important to Apple Music, which is why we are so excited to be working with Mercedes-Benz to make Spatial Audio on Apple Music available natively in the car for the first time. Spatial Audio is revolutionising the way artists create and fans listen to music, and it’s an experience that is impossible to explain in words; you have to hear it for yourself to appreciate it. Together with Mercedes-Benz, we now have even more opportunities to bring wholly immersive music to our subscribers all over the world.”
The first models able to take advantage of Spatial Audio are not cheap to begin with, but to work, it needs either the Burmester 3D or 4D sound system in the vehicle. These sound systems cost upwards of $4,550, so there’s an added price tag to enjoy Spatial Audio with Dolby Atmos. With these kinds of figures, the $9.99 a month Apple Music subscription on top is perhaps less of a concern.
