Apple Music beget a big updatethis year , and it ’s liberal to all ratifier , including Android users . The integral catalogue of over 75 million track will be available in a lossless audio data formatting using ALAC ( Apple Lossless Audio Compression ) , starting with some 20 million track and expanding to the entire catalog by the end of 2021 . finally , all tracks will be available in a hi - reticuloendothelial system lossless format at a maximum of 24bit and 192kHz . In plus , some tracks will gain Dolby Atmos living , which can be played with compatible devices , include most Apple and Beats headphones . You ’ll see labels on albums that show you which formats are uncommitted .
Update 7/23 : Spatial Audio and Lossless Audio track in Apple Music are now available on Android phone .
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But not everyone will be able to savor these formatting ; you ’ll need specific computer hardware for each of them . ( And software : you have to have your Apple equipment update to iOS 14.6 , iPadOS 14.6 , macOS 11.4 , or tvOS 14.6 in ordering to practice these raw format . ) Here ’s a simple dislocation of what you need to use these new data format .
Remember : These new format want iOS 14.6 , macOS 11.4 , or tvOS 14.6 or later , but they will only show upif your twist specifically supports them .
Apple Music Lossless
Apple Music Lossless use the ALAC ( Apple Lossless Audio Codec ) to retain all the entropy in the original CD - quality passe-partout . It commence at 16 morsel , 44.1kHz and goes up to 24 - mo , 48 kHz . No bluetooth twist , not even Apple ’s AirPods , can decode this data format , so you ’ll need wired headphones .
To enable this format on your iPhone or iPad , openSettings , thenMusic , thenAudio Qualityand select between Lossless and Hi - Res Lossless for cellular or Wi - Fi connexion . You ’ll also have to go into preferences or Preferences on a Mac or Apple TV to enable this feature . The iPhone has a construct - in DAC that supports 24 - bit , 48kHz so you’re able to use a pair of Lightning earpiece . The 3.5 millimetre port on the Mac also bear 24 - second , 48kHz . On Android devices , you may find the Dolby Atmos toggle in the Audio configurations .
to boot , Apple ’s 3.5 mm Lightning headphone adaptor includes it ’s own DAC that support 24 - bit , 48kHz so high - goal wire headphone will crop . However , the Lightning to 3.5 mm Audio Cable that Apple betray for the AirPods Max does n’t substantiate Lossless cyclosis .
Supported listening gadget : Wired phone or speakers are required . Of observe , none of Apple ’s AirPods or Beats wireless headphones will support Apple Music Lossless . Even the AirPods Max when punch in via a Lightning cablegram wo n’t operate , as it only accept analog connection and then re - convert into digital . HomePod does not currently plump for Apple Music Lossless though Apple says documentation will arrive “ in a future software update , ” which likely wo n’t be untiliOS 15 arrive in the fall .
Apple Music Hi-Res Lossless
High - Resolution lossless audio is a step up from the stock standard candle - quality lossless format . It goes all the elbow room up to 24 bite at 192kHz . It has the same requisite as regular Lossless butalsorequires external hardware adequate to of care 24 - bit audio up to 192kHz , such as a USB DAC or pass receiver . And you ’ll also need a USB - to - Lightning dongle for your iPhone or Mac .
Supportedlistening devices : The necessary are the same as with Apple Music Lossless , but you ’ll need your pumped headphone or speakers to be relate to an external DAC able of treat 24 - moment 192kHz audio , which is in turn connected to your Apple machine . HomePod and Apple TV do not support Hi - Res Lossless .
Dolby Atmos
It ’s unreadable how many tracks will be available in Dolby Atmos , but Apple has several playlists dedicated to the new format . Many more Apple devices are supported — every AirPods or Beats intersection with a W1 or H1 buffalo chip in it will mechanically roleplay compatible racetrack in Dolby Atmos , as will the latest iPhones , iPads , and Macs . you could force it on for other phone by openingSettings > euphony > Audioand change the Dolby Atmos setting toAlways On .
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Supportedlistening machine : If you have any of the following headphones , Spatial Audio will automatically be engaged when a rail with Dolby Atmos is played . It will also automatically play from the internal talker on the former iPhones , iPads , and Macs , and you could push it on for other listening machine through the method acting above . You must have your Apple TV rob up to an audio twist with Dolby Atmos support ( or use AirPods ) .
Spatial Audio is limited to Apple earbuds , however , as Apple Music on Android will not support the format , even when using AirPods or Beats . Some Android speech sound that support Dolby Atmos , such as the newest Galaxy S phones , will put up spacial audio with wired headphones .
The speaker in some iPhones and Android phones will also toy in Dolby Atmos , though the core will be much less obtrusive . Apple specifically says “ ramp up - in speakers on an iPhone XS or later ( except iPhone SE ) , iPad Pro 12.9 - inch ( 3rd generation or later ) , iPad Pro 11 - inch , or iPad Air ( fourth genesis ) ” will support spatial audio .
Apple Digital Masters
If you see the “ Apple Digital Master ” recording label on an album or runway , you should screw that it ’s just a rebranding of the older “ master for iTunes ” feature . It has nothing to do with the output format of the runway , it ’s just a way for Apple to push tracks that have been encode directly from the 24 - bit studio Edgar Lee Masters . Apple explain it like this :
By starting with the best possible masters we are able-bodied to tender our Apple Music and iTunes customers the highest possible quality audio recording . Our latest encoder can take reward of every bit of the high - resolution Edgar Lee Masters that engineers are creating especially for us . The results , both for cyclosis and download , are nearly identical from the original 24 act studio master .
You do n’t need any special hardware at all to take advantage of Apple Digital Masters — it ’s all about Apple creating its files starting from a really eminent timbre source , that ’s all .