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Comment by josteink | Hacker News Reader

> By default, Apple Music will automatically play Dolby Atmos tracks on all AirPods and Beats headphones with an H1 or W1 chip, as well as the built-in speakers in the latest versions of iPhone, iPad, and Mac.

Apple TV seems oddly missing in that list.

Edit: If anything is to be expected to be connected to a surround Atmos setup, it would be a TV-room audio-setup.

Edit 2: Confirmed supported.

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The fine print seems to have a slightly different story by my reading:

“How can I listen to Dolby Atmos music?

All Apple Music subscribers using the latest version of Apple Music on iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple TV can listen to thousands of Dolby Atmos music tracks using any headphones (emphasis mine). When you listen with compatible Apple or Beats headphones, Dolby Atmos music plays back automatically when available for a song. For other headphones, go to Settings > Music > Audio and set Dolby Atmos to Always On. You can also hear Dolby Atmos music using the built‑in speakers on a compatible iPhone, iPad, MacBook Pro, or HomePod, or by connecting your Apple TV 4K to a compatible TV or audiovisual receiver.”

> or by connecting your Apple TV 4K to a compatible TV or audiovisual receiver

Great. That’s all I needed to hear.

I wonder why they made so basic information so hard to obtain.

I even searched the page simply for “TV” looking for that and couldn’t find it.

Oh. So no word on the Android app yet?

It's interesting to me that they announce a high-end audio feature a month after they discontinue their high-end speakers. I realize the big HomePod wasn't selling well, but it seems like they should have a decent Apple speaker.

Perhaps Apple TV doesn’t have an H1 or W1 chip?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apple-designed_processors

Apple TV supports Dolby Atmos for movies and anything else when connected to a capable output.

Why shouldn’t it work for music too?

Apple TV doesn’t have speakers. The device sending audio digitally to another device (an actual TV or sound bar in this case) wouldn’t need one, the device driving the speakers would need one.

Because they can't guarantee the Apple TV is hooked up to Atmos capable speakers. With the headphones and built-in speakers they know they can fake Atmos. Not so on a random TV.

> Because they can't guarantee the Apple TV is hooked up to Atmos capable speakers.

Nonsense. Apple TV supports Dolby Atmos and can detect a compatible receiver/speaker when connected.

iTunes on Apple TV offers hundreds of movies with Atmos-audio after all.

Yes! But they can't say it will play Atmos BY DEFAULT when they can't guarantee the speakers/receiver support Atmos. On their headphones speakers they can.

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