Apple Music will upgrade your audio at no extra cost, some Android users to miss out on its best new features

By Derrek Lee
last updated

Apple Music Lossless
Apple Music Lossless (Image credit: Apple)

What you need to know

  • Apple Music is introducing new lossless music tiers for Hi-Fi audio.
  • Support for Dolby Atmos and spatial audio is also included in the upcoming update, exclusive to Apple devices.
  • The new features will arrive in June at no extra cost to Apple Music subscribers.

Following last week's leak of Apple's upcoming "Lossless" audio tier, the company has officially announced (opens in new tab) that Hi-Fi audio is coming to over 75 million Apple Music tracks next month. The new Lossless audio tier will be available to Apple Music subscribers at no additional cost, giving them access to up to 24-bit audio at 48kHz using Apple's ALAC codec. There's also a Hi-Resolution Lossless tier for playback at 192kHz, although it'll require an external DAC. Subscribers will be able to change their Apple Music playback quality by navigating to Settings > Music > Audio Quality.

Additionally, Apple Music is getting Spatial Audio with support for Dolby Atmos to give listeners a more immersive experience. Dolby Atmos will become the default for playback on Apple devices with the H1 or W1 chip like the Beats Solo Pro, which are among the best wireless headphones. Apple smartphones and tablets will also be able to support Dolby Atmos playback through their speakers.

To help users find Dolby Atmos tracks, the app will have a curated list of supported tracks. Apple states that it is working with popular music artists like J Balvin, Ariana Grande, The Weeknd, and more.

While many of the best Android phones will have access to the new Lossless audio tiers, only Apple devices will support Spatial Audio and Dolby Atmos through Apple Music by default. Interestingly, that doesn't include some of Apple's most popular headphones. That said, the announcement coincides with Amazon's own announcement on Monday that Amazon Music subscribers will be upgraded to HD playback at no extra cost, giving Android users more options for high-quality audio.

Apple Music subscribers will be able to access the new audio features in June.

Apple Music LogoThe Apple experience on Android

 (opens in new tab)
Apple Music

It's just as good, maybe better.
Apple is one of the pioneers of portable music playback, and it brings that expertise into its Apple Music application for Android. It offers a similar monthly price as many other streaming music services and comes with high-quality audio playback quick can be streamed from devices like Google Audio.

Derrek Lee
Derrek Lee
News Editor

Derrek is a long-time Nokia and LG fanboy who loves astronomy, videography, and sci-fi movies. When he's not working, he's most likely working out or smoldering at the camera.

10 Comments
  • Spotify needs to book it's ideas up now and YouTube music and bring us android users hifi audio.
  • We don't care, Spotify is a much better streaming service and the most used in the world. Being second rate is a familiar thing for Apple.
  • LOL…most ignorant statement of the day.
  • A couple months ago he was all on the Apple train.
  • Was being the operative word. I won't support a greedy anti consumer and anti competitive company and got tired of the limitations and how restrictive iOS is.
  • Before apple it was all Pixel all day and anyone who didn't agree was an idiot. Now it's Samsung, wonder who is next.
  • It may be Pixel again but I won't think ant less of Samsung but its because of their following of Apple and the fact that I prefer simplicity over endless customisation which I appreciate a lot more since I've been using my S20 FE and the number one reason I'm probably going to go back to a Pixel is updates. Not that Samsung is bad at updates, they're not but I want updates from day 1 and only the Pixel can provide that.
  • Oh well. I'm currently spending $0,000.00 a year on Apple devices and services; that won't change anytime soon.
  • Samsung has Dolby Atmos
  • And Dolby Atmos hasn't been all that great to be honest, my Galaxy Tab S7+ has inferior sound to my sister's iPad Pro 2020 12.9 which has fuller and richer sound that has loads of bass which my Tab S7+ can barely muster any sort of bass.