Apple TV 4K finally gets Dolby Atmos sound

It's part of the TVOS 12 update coming this fall, and titles will get upgraded to Dolby Atmos for free.

David Katzmaier Editorial Director -- Personal Tech

David reviews TVs and leads the Personal Tech team at CNET, covering mobile, software, computing, streaming and home entertainment. We provide helpful, expert reviews, advice and videos on what gadget or service to buy and how to get the most out of it.

Expertise A 20-year CNET veteran, David has been reviewing TVs since the days of CRT, rear-projection and plasma. Prior to CNET he worked at Sound & Vision magazine and eTown.com. He is known to two people on Twitter as the Cormac McCarthy of consumer electronics. Credentials

Although still awaiting his Oscar for Best Picture Reviewer, David does hold certifications from the Imaging Science Foundation and the National Institutes of Standards and Technology on display calibration and evaluation.

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David Katzmaier

June 4, 2018 11:40 a.m. PT

The latest sound technology will finally come to the best high-end streaming TV box.

This story is part of WWDC 2022, CNET's complete coverage from and about Apple's annual developers conference.

This fall as part of the upgrade to TVOS 12, Apple TV 4K will support Dolby Atmos object-based surround sound with iTunes titles, Apple announced on Monday at WWDC.

It also said iTunes will have the world's largest library of Atmos titles, and that if a user owns a title that later adds Atmos, that title will get upgraded free of charge.

With support for Dolby Vision HDR video since launch, the Apple TV 4K is now the only media streamer to support both of Dolby's highest-end home AV formats.

Watch this: Dolby Atmos comes to Apple TV 4K

01:28

While it's still the only separate streamer with Dolby Vision, Apple TV 4K is actually late to the Dolby Atmos streaming party. Roku has supported Atmos via the Vudu app for more than a year, as have the Xbox One, Nvidia Shield TV and a few other devices. Meanwhile Xbox One and LG Smart TVs support Atmos from Netflix.

Apple did not announce whether its Netflix or Vudu apps, which both currently support 4K HDR and Dolby Vision, would get Atmos support as well.