Apple ASAF audio format explained — meet the new Dolby Atmos rival
At its Worldwide Developers Conference in June, Apple quietly revealed how it plans to improve audio immersion beyond what it already offers on devices like the AirPods — and it all hinges on a new audio format called Apple Spatial Audio Format, or ASAF.
You might assume that ASAF is simply a formalization of the spatial audio tech that the Cupertino-based company already offers, but actually, ASAF is a whole different beast.
Cutting-edge spatial audio formats like Dolby Atmos don't just play audio around you, but also above you, adding the final piece of the puzzle to what we now call object-based audio, where audio elements can move in a 3D environment.
You'd assume that's where immersive audio ends — and if you were to only ever watch content sitting on your couch, it might.
ASAF will include all sorts of new data to create a virtual 3D environment that matches the room you're in.
But Apple has a different idea: Current object-based audio formats can position objects in 3D space, but not your 3D space. ASAF will include all sorts of new data in its calculations, including the position of the listener and even the acoustics of the room itself to create a virtual 3D environment that matches the room you're in.
This all sounds cool in theory, but when would you actually want to take advantage of what ASAF has to offer?
Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips.
There are plenty of examples. The most obvious is when watching a movie using your AirPods: ASAF could make audio appear not just 3D, but as if it's playing in your actual environment, adjusting based on your own movements and your own environment.
But, of course, the true purpose of ASAF is perhaps a little more designed for Apple's next big product line — its next Vision headsets. On the Vision Pro, for example, data like your position in a space and what's in that space is more readily available — and as such, ASAF will allow make for a much more immersive experience.
You might notice that the concept of ASAF is a little different from the concept of Dolby Atmos. Dolby Atmos and other 3D audio formats are designed to allow for objects to seem as though they're anywhere in your 3D environment, assuming you're in the perfect position on your couch. And, when it comes to watching a movie on your TV, through your Dolby Atmos sound system, that's not changing with ASAF.
ASAF can still build on Dolby Atmos. Dolby Atmos audio can be rendered through Apple's new format.
But, ASAF can still build on Dolby Atmos. Dolby Atmos audio can be rendered through Apple's new format, which adds some extra 3D tricks to audio, to make it more interactive in an environment where a user might move around with headphones.
In some settings, like on the couch with a dedicated sound system, ASAF just isn't necessary — but when you try to replicate the Dolby Atmos experience with headphones and allow a person to move around, it becomes a whole lot more useful.
As you might expect, ASAF availability will be limited to Apple's devices — all of its platforms except for watchOS will support the format.
Apple has said that all Apple Immersive Video content will be required to adopt APAC though, so it could gain steam reasonably quickly, at least when it comes to content purpose-made for platforms like VisionOS.
As for when we'll see that next Apple Vision headset, rumor has it that we'll see not one, but two new of them by the end of 2025 or early 2026. And, when they arrive, ASAF will be there to help them sound even more immersive than their predecessor.
Follow Tom's Guide on Google News to get our up-to-date news, how-tos, and reviews in your feeds. Make sure to click the Follow button.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Tom's Guide
an hour ago
- Tom's Guide
Right now is the worst time to buy a new iPhone — here's why
When someone asks me when it's the right time to buy an iPhone, I usually tell them "Whenever you need to get a new phone." And I truly believe that — you can drive yourself batty holding out for the latest and greatest hardware, since the nature of technology is that there's always something promising to be more impressive right down the road. But note the "usually" in my "buy a phone when you need a phone" advice. There's one time a year when I think it's a bad idea to spend money on a new iPhone. And folks, we're in that period right now. If you find yourself in the market for one of the best iPhones, better check the calendar first. That's because if you're within a few weeks of an Apple event, it's best to hold off, if possible, just to see what Apple might have in store for its latest devices. And the closer you get to that Apple event, the better idea it is to hold off on a purchase. We don't know exactly when Apple's going to hold its fall launch event, but given Apple's history, it's not to hard to guess an iPhone 17 release date. And we are close enough to that window to where my usual logic about upgrading when you need to no longer applies. Even a casual glance at the last few iPhone releases reveals a pretty universal fact — Apple likes releasing iPhones in the first two weeks of September. That gives the company enough time to get the new devices into stores before the end of the month, so that it has a full quarter worth of sales to show Wall Street for the three months culminating in holiday shopping — the most important time of year in Apple's fiscal calendar. Only once in recent memory has Apple gone through a September without releasing an iPhone. That would be in 2020 — the year the Covid-19 pandemic delayed production on the iPhone 12 and pushed the release later into the fall. No one wants a repeat of that, certainly not Apple. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. But don't take my word for it. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, a pretty good source of Apple-related info, has forecast an iPhone event for the second week of September. And if you want to get even more specific, a German site is listing a September 9 event date, with the new iPhone 17 models going on sale September 19. Again, that 10-day window between the announcement and the actual launch is pretty consistent with Apple's recent history. So we have a pretty good idea about when the iPhone 17 models are arriving. And thanks to all the rumors out there about Apple's latest phones, we have a pretty good idea of what new features are on the way, too. At this stage in the evolution of smartphones, we're at a point where we don't see dramatic changes every year. That said, rumors point to some pretty significant improvements coming to the existing iPhone models — and there could be an entirely new device from Apple this fall. The iPhone 17 could be getting one of the more significant changes in the form of an LTPO display. If you're not up to date on the merits of low-temperature polycrystalline oxide panels, don't fret — all you need to know is that it's the technology that enables the adaptive refresh rate on Apple's ProMotion displays. In other words, the entry-level iPhone will finally be able to support a fast refresh rate, allowing for smoother scrolling and more immersive graphics. That alone could make the iPhone 17 worth the price of admission, and that's before you get to more traditional year-over-year improvements to the chipset powering the phone to the battery size. The iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max could be in line for a marquee edition of their own, as rumors tip those phones to adopt a 48MP telephoto lens. There's some dispute over what kind of optical zoom the upgraded camera would support — some say 3.5x, others are arguing 8x — but there's no doubt that the high-resolution sensor would mean more detailed close-ups from this year's Pro models. Other Pro-specific features like a vapor cooling chamber to help boost performance could also be in the works for the iPhone 17 Pro. Then there's the fourth phone reportedly coming this fall, the iPhone 17 Air. This is supposed to be Apple's attempt at an ultra-thin phone in the vein of the Galaxy S25 Edge, only Apple's version might be even thinner if measurements of an alleged dummy unit prove to be accurate. It's unclear what else the iPhone 17 Air will bring to the table, but if you're in the market for an entirely new design, this phone could be of interest to you. To put it another way, these shouldn't just be run-of-the-mill upgrades from Apple in the fall. And even if you ultimately decide that there's not enough there to justify an upgrade, you're at least putting yourself in a position to make that call should you hold off on a purchase for another few weeks. There is a wrinkle to this year's buy-or-wait decision, and it comes down to iPhone 17 prices. Specifically, there's a concern that ongoing economic turbulence and in flux tariff policies might have an impact on what you pay for Apple's new phones. Earlier this year, a Wall Street Journal report said Apple was considering an increase to the cost of its iPhones, while a more recent analyst forecast had prices going up by $50 from the equivalent iPhone 16 models. That would mean a starting price of $849 for the iPhone 17, with the iPhone 17 Pro Max costing as much as $1,249. While it may be tempting to buy an iPhone 16 now and avoid any iPhone 17 price hikes, I think the window to do that closed during the summer. We're close enough to the rumored iPhone launch to see what features the new devices bring to the table. And if they're not impressive enough or fail to justify any price increase Apple imposes, you can always fall back to the iPhone 16, which should be available at a lower rate in a post-iPhone 17 world. Apple usually keeps a handful of older models around at reduced prices following one of its product launches. So the combination of an Apple event that will be here before you know it and rumored improvements that sound worth examining should put any planned iPhone purchase on hold at this point, no matter what kind of prices we ultimately see.
Business Insider
4 hours ago
- Business Insider
Apple (AAPL) Is Developing a Tabletop Robot as Part of Its AI Strategy
Apple (AAPL) is reportedly developing a tabletop robot as part of its artificial intelligence (AI) strategy. Elevate Your Investing Strategy: Take advantage of TipRanks Premium at 50% off! Unlock powerful investing tools, advanced data, and expert analyst insights to help you invest with confidence. Media reports state that the consumer electronics giant plans to launch the AI-driven robot in 2027. The robot is being described as an iPad mounted on a movable limb that can swivel to follow users around a room. It's designed to turn toward people speaking, seek attention from people not facing it, and inject itself into conversations. The device will feature an entirely new version of the Siri digital assistant that is infused with AI and a bubbly personality. Reports say Apple is considering making the robot resemble its MacBook 'Finder' logo. The new Siri will be able to engage in back-and-forth conversations and help people complete tasks. Project J595 Within Apple, the robot's development is code-named 'Project J595' and is being led by Kevin Lynch, who previously oversaw development of Apple's smartwatch. The company is also exploring other robotics, including a mobile bot with wheels similar to Amazon's (AMZN) Astro robot, and is even sketching out plans for humanoid models. Before the robot launches, Apple plans to release an AI smart speaker with a display by mid-2026. This device is said to be a stripped-down version of the robot without the arms and Siri capabilities. It will offer home control, music playback, note-taking, web browsing, and videoconferencing. CEO Tim Cook recently told employees that Apple 'must win in AI.' AAPL stock is down 6% this year. Is AAPL Stock a Buy? The stock of Apple has a consensus Moderate Buy rating among 29 Wall Street analysts. That rating is based on 16 Buy, 12 Hold, and one Sell recommendations assigned in the last three months. The average AAPL price target of $236.93 implies 1.16% upside from current levels.
Yahoo
5 hours ago
- Yahoo
The Pixel 10's Tensor G5 chip could be a game changer for Google's phones — here's why
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. When it comes to the power of phone chips, there's little doubt that Google's Tensor series chips tend to fall behind somewhat, and while the same could be true of the Pixel 10's Tensor G5 chip, it might not be the whole story. The Google Pixel usually finds a place as one of the best phones you can buy, despite lacking the power of other phones. This is usually down to the phone's focus on AI features and the focus on machine learning. However, recent rumors suggest that Google is considering a change in how it designs its chips, while also utilizing the same manufacturer as Apple. This doesn't mean that we can expect Google phones to suddenly be comparable to the upcoming iPhone 17 or the recently released Galaxy S25. However, these changes will offer some noticeable advantages to Google's future phones; the issue is whether they will do so fast enough to catch consumers' attention. What is Google reportedly going to change with the Tensor G5? The big change that could be coming is that the Tensor G5 could be manufactured in partnership with TSMC instead of Samsung. This will reportedly include building the chip using TSMC's 3nm process instead of the 4nm process seen on the Tensor G4. That means that Google will be able to fit more transistors into the chip, which should boost the power efficiency of the chip. Considering Google phones have yet to appear on our longest-lasting phone list, that could be a major advantage. Unfortunately, this same rumor has stated that the new chip will feature the same CPU as the Samsung-made chips. This could mean that, while the G5 will see a boost in power, it won't be as much as some hope, with some rumors calling it a 'TSMC-made version of the G4.' However, the Tensor G5 has one advantage that could make up for this apparent weakness, as it is reportedly the first Google chip to be fully developed in-house. While this doesn't mean much for the raw power of the phone, it could have a big impact on the future of the services and features available. What are the benefits and drawbacks of Google's rumored plans? A high benchmark score looks great, but it's hard to quantify for the average phone user. In comparison, Google's focus on AI features and machine learning is much easier to gauge. For instance, the computational photography seen on Pixel devices allows the phones to compete with the best camera phones, even with fewer megapixels or even fewer cameras in the case of the basic Pixel 9 or budget Pixel 9a. There's also the argument that, with Google utilizing more in-house production of its chips, it can better integrate with Pixel features. This would allow the company to be faster when it comes to updates and even possible feature drops. On top of that, Google potentially having more control over the manufacturing process would make it much easier for its hardware roadmap and feature development. A good comparison for this would be Apple, who also use TSMC to manufacture its A-series chips. However, Apple designs its A-series chips and M-series chips in-house, which in turn allows Apple a lot more control over how the chip interacts with its software. In a recent interview with The Indian Express, Tim Millet, the vice president of platform architecture, had this to say about the benefit of designing the M4 chip at Apple, 'By creating chips custom-built for the devices they will go into, the company avoids compromises in overall performance. Boger added that "no other platform can touch our power performance per watt. That's the tangible benefit to users." However, there are some downsides to this focus, mainly that it becomes harder to promote the Pixel range as a high-end device due to the lack of power. For instance, the Google Pixel 9 Pro falls short compared to other modern phones like the iPhone 16 Pro or the Galaxy S25 Ultra, while only being slightly better than the Google Pixel 8 Pro. On the plus side, it appears that Google isn't going to be increasing the price of the Pixel 10 series, which would mean that the base Pixel 10 could release with a $799 price tag. That's the same as the iPhone 16 and the Galaxy S25, which is a bit of a problem if the phone can't match those devices in terms of power. This problem is likely to worsen, and depending on the final price of the iPhone 17, it could leave many consumers wondering why they're paying premium phone prices for a mid-range phone's power. We still don't know for certain what the new chip is capable of, or what Google plans to do with it, so it's possible that we could see a marked improvement when we test it. Google has to deliver on features and sell the phone of the future The biggest struggle that Google is going to have is that the power of the Tensor G5 and the advantages of in-house production are all based on the future. While this is great in the long run, it means that there likely won't be any immediate benefits, which can be a turn-off when trying to sell a new phone. With that said, we've not seen anything solid about the power of the newest Tensor chip, and the performance may exceed expectations. Personally, I'm excited to see what Google could do with the 3nm process and what it means for the future of Google phones. For now, we'll have to wait until later this month for the Made by Google event, where it is expected to reveal the Pixel 10 series. More from Tom's Guide Unlock the Power of iOS 26 — 3 AI Shortcuts You Need to Try Now Android 16's upcoming feature could wreak havoc on your phone's fast charging Google could be making a big mistake with the Pixel 10 Pro — here's why
