New AirPods Pro Firmware Introduces Spatial Audio Support and Automatic Switching

by

The new 3A283 firmware that Apple released for the AirPods Pro today appears to introduce support for Spatial Audio, a new feature coming to the higher-end AirPods with iOS 14.

airpodsprospatialaudio
Multiple reports on Twitter and the MacRumors forums indicate that the firmware update adds a "Spatial Audio" option to the Control Center, which can be activated to enable the feature. Note that using Spatial Audio requires the ‌iOS 14‌ update to be installed.

Early reports from the MacRumors forums suggest Spatial Audio is functional and working with Apple TV+ content. Several people who have tested the feature have been impressed, calling the audio "immersive," "mind-blowing" and "trippy." From a MacRumors reader with Spatial Audio working:

Just tried out spatial audio on my iPad. Very cool! The illusion of the audio coming from the ‌iPad‌ is so convincing that I actually thought at first that the sound was coming from my ‌iPad‌’s speakers. Had to take an AirPod out of my ear to confirm I was really hearing it from the ‌AirPods‌ themselves. I would really like to learn more about whatever dark magic Apple is using to pull off this illusion!

Introduced at WWDC and coming in ‌iOS 14‌, Spatial Audio brings movie theater-like sound to the earbuds. Spatial audio uses dynamic head tracking to create immersive sound anywhere in space by applying directional audio filters and subtle frequency adjustments.


Spatial audio uses the gyroscope and accelerometer in the ‌AirPods Pro‌ and iPhone to track the motion of your head and your ‌iPhone‌'s position, comparing the motion data, and then remapping the sound field so that it stays anchored to your device even as your head moves.

Today's update also appears to enable the feature that allows for automatic switching between devices, which is available for ‌AirPods‌ and ‌AirPods Pro‌. Automatic switching will connect the ‌AirPods‌ to any Apple device signed associated with your iCloud when you activate audio on that device and are actively using it.

Top Rated Comments

SDJim Avatar
SDJim
9 months ago

what about auto switching
Didn't quite make it to the last paragraph, huh?
Score: 34 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Jd3774life Avatar
Jd3774life
9 months ago

what about auto switching
It says auto switching in the article lol.. did you read it
Score: 22 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Jd3774life Avatar
Jd3774life
9 months ago

What is there left for tomorrow as far as announcement goes. anyone excited???
Well, since they haven't announced anything yet.. I guess everything is still left to be announced tomorrow :rolleyes:
Score: 19 Votes (Like | Disagree)
NoImDirtyDan Avatar
NoImDirtyDan
9 months ago
If only I could force update...been on the charger over an hour still nothing.

EDIT: connected AirPods to my iPad and they updated within 5-10 min
Score: 18 Votes (Like | Disagree)
mnsportsgeek Avatar
mnsportsgeek
9 months ago
I thought spatial audio was supposed to simulate surround sound? Why would I want the sound to appear like it’s originating from the phone?
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)
apparatchik Avatar
apparatchik
9 months ago
So, Batman is an Apple user?
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Read All Comments

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