Apple Music subscribers to get lossless audio, Dolby Atmos for free in June

By default, the Apple Music will let users automatically play Dolby Atmos tracks. However, the Lossless Audio will be available as an opt in setting

Apple has announced that its music streaming service Apple Music will get lossless audio and Spatial Audio with Dolby Atmos in June. Both the upgrades will be available for free to the Apple Music subscribers, including those on family and student plans.

According to Apple, the default Apple Music setting will let users automatically play Dolby Atmos tracks on all AirPods and Beats headphones with an Apple H1 or W1 chip, as well as the built-in speakers in the latest versions of iPhone, iPad, and Mac. Moreover, Apple Music will be adding new Dolby Atmos tracks and will be curating a special set of Dolby Atmos playlists to help listeners find the music they love.

“Apple Music is making its biggest advancement ever in sound quality,” said Oliver Schusser, Apple’s vice president of Apple Music and Beats. “Listening to a song in Dolby Atmos is like magic. The music comes from all around you and sounds incredible. Now we are bringing this truly innovative and immersive experience to our listeners with music from their favorite artists like J Balvin, Gustavo Dudamel, Ariana Grande, Maroon 5, Kacey Musgraves, The Weeknd, and so many more. Subscribers will also be able to listen to their music in the highest audio quality with Lossless Audio. Apple Music as we know it is about to change forever.”

As for the lossless audio, Apple says it will have 75 million supported audio songs in its catalog by the end of the year. The lossless audio will be facilitated by Apple Lossless Audio Codec (ALAC). Unlike the Spatial Audio, Lossless Audio will be available as an opt in due to the large file sizes and bandwidth needed for Lossless and Hi-Res Lossless Audio to stream. To turn on lossless audio, subscribers must run the latest version of Apple Music and can go to Settings -- Music -- Audio Quality. Apple says, the Apple Music offers Hi-Resolution Lossless all the way up to 24 bit at 192 kHz.