Audiobooks are a form of media that haven’t really undergone many updates in recent years. Audible has just changed all of that by bringing Dolby Atmos support onto its platform.
What this means is that in addition to single narrators and full-cast renditions of audiobooks, listeners will also have the option to experience those performances in a more immersive audio format. Specifically, the inclusion of Dolby Atmos will “push the boundaries of audio-only narratives through the ability to place sounds in a multidimensional space”.
Pulling an Audible
The feature isn’t coming to a full roster of books just yet. So far, just over forty titles have had spatial audio work done on them. You can find the entire list here but the options are dominated by Audible Original presentations. You won’t find any familiar books that aren’t exclusive to Amazon’s platform.
Still, the audio technology should expand its reach beyond the initial slate. Dolby’s John Couling said, “Sound placement can now be used as a new element to draw audiences even closer to their favorite podcasts, audio narratives, and stories with Dolby Atmos.”
The feature is now available to all Audible users worldwide — for the supported books — but there is a catch. They’ll only function on Atmos-supporting Android and iOS devices. Most new Samsung and iPhone devices support the tech, while headliners from OnePlus, Xiaomi, and Poco support the tech. There may also be others.