Apple TV 4K to receive Dolby Atmos support

(credit: Valentina Palladino)

SAN JOSE-Apple announced tvOS updates on the WWDC stage, though the company didn't confirm whether these features amount to a whole new version number. No huge changes mark the latest version of tvOS, but Apple did include support for Dolby Atmos surround sound, a feature that many pointed out as a missed opportunity in the Apple TV 4K.

The Apple TV 4K came out at the end of last year, and it represented a pretty big update to the streaming device, since competitors like Roku added 4K support to their devices already. While it supported Dolby Vision HDR, the device did not support Dolby Atmos surround sound at launch. Apple's next tvOS update will bring that feature to its set-top boxes, essentially allowing streamed content to produce richer sound experiences than they did before.

Existing iTunes purchases will receive Atmos sound-channel upgrades for free, Apple confirmed during the WWDC keynote. The company did not confirm whether similar support will come to older Apple TV devices.

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