Apple hands out free upgrade to TV owners that’s perfect for music fans – simple checks reveal if your model is eligible
APPLE has updated one of its best TV apps with a powerful new audio-boosting feature.
The company’s Apple Music app now supports Dolby Atmos on a popular TV brand.
If you’ve got a recent LG television model, there’s a good chance you can take advantage of this new trick.
Dolby Atmos is a type of surround sound technology and adds an element of height for maximum immersion.
It means that you can better enjoy the “spatial” element of Apple Music songs through your regular TV speakers.
LG says that you’ll be able to enjoy the feature on 2018 or later Smart TV models running webOS 4.0 or newer.
Better still, the feature will also work on non-Dolby Atmos TVs if you’ve got a 2023 or 2024 LG soundbar connected.
And that’s not all: you can also claim a three-month trial for Apple Music (normally $9.99) inside your LG TV if you’re a new subscriber.
It means that LG appears to be the first TV brand support Apple Music Dolby Atmos tech.
“The introduction of spatial sound with Dolby Atmos through Apple Music on LG TVs transforms how we listen to music on the big screen,” said LG’s Chris Jo, a senior VP at the company.
“LG is dedicated to elevating the content streaming experience for music enthusiasts around the world.”
You’ll be able to see Apple Music songs that support Dolby Atmos clearly labelled inside the app.
Apple Music is one of the biggest Spotify rivals out there.
It serves up over 100 million songs and 30,000 playlists, but requires a subscription to enjoy.
But Dolby Atmos is included as standard with your subscription, if you’ve got the devices to support it.
LG Apple Music – Dolby Atmos supported models
Here's what you need to enjoy Apple Music Dolby Atmos on an LG TV...
First you’ll need to make sure you have an Apple Music subscription.
There’s a free trial running from April 30, 2024 until April 29, 2025 to claim a three-month membership to Apple Music (worth $29.97).
LG says that Dolby Atmos via Apple Music “is available on LG OLED TV models launched from 2018 to 2024 and QNED TV models Q90T and above”.
And it says that the feature is also available “when pairing to the Dolby Atmos-supported LG soundbar”.
LG says: “Feature is available when pairing to the Dolby Atmos-supported LG soundbar such as 2024 models: S95TR, S90TY, S90TR, S77TY, S75TR, S70TR, S70TY, TV matching models SG10TY, SC9S; 2023 models: SE6S, S77S or 2022 models: S95QR, S90QY, S80QR, S80QY, S75Q.”
You can also connect Apple AirPods to your LG Smart TV and listen to Dolby Atmos that way too.
WHAT IS DOLBY ATMOS?
Dolby Atmos is a type of surround sound technology.
Its headline improvement is adding height channels to surround sound systems, creating a more immersive audio experience.
Dolby explains: “Dolby Atmos has reinvented how entertainment is created and experienced, allowing creatives everywhere to place each sound exactly where they want it to go, for a more realistic and immersive audio experience.
“Whether you’re gaming, watching your favorite movie or show, or listening to that new track on repeat, Dolby Atmos transports you into a spatial sound experience that draws you in deeper, so you hear more and feel more.”
It’s not to be confused with Dolby Vision, which is a type of video technology.
That’s an enhanced version of High Dynamic Range that offers improved contrast and a wider range of colors.
Dolby Atmos strictly refers to audio, while Dolby Vision only affects video.