Adventures in AV: Apple is well positioned to make next-generation Dolby technology the true “future of home cinema”.
Next week, Apple will host a series of “specials” around the world, and that’s exciting for two reasons.
Second, because we expect a wealth of new hardware, ranging from the affordable (by Apple standards) iPhone 16e to the new HomePod speaker.
But the big ticket item according to the rumor mill is the new Apple TV 4K. Why is this important? However, on the other hand it is because the current Apple TV 4K remains the best streaming box you will find for serious movie fans.
Hence its continued place in our buying guide for the best video projectors, despite being a little long in the tooth. So any improvement, even in basic performance metrics, would be great.
But it is because there is one important improvement that Apple’s new streaming box could be the perfect starter: Dolby Vision 2.
For anyone who wasn’t paying attention What is Hi-Fi?The home page recently (shamefully), Vision 2 is the new HDR standard that Dolby has casually unveiled at the IFA show in Berlin last year.
I mean casually as it just appeared in the sky – until it was supposed to be launched by our partner Hisense, and almost all the other TV makers we talked to at the time seemed as “surprised” as we were by the announcement.
But, since then, as more information about it has become available, it sounds more interesting and more powerful. Cliff notes that the new standard is divided into two categories: Dolby Vision 2 and Dolby Vision 2 Max.
Both aim to give filmmakers more powerful and granular control over their movies, and TV producers the ability to deliver a “more authentic” experience that matches the director’s vision.
Key improvements include more bi-directional tone accuracy, for improved image accuracy on compatible hardware, and new tools for directors making movies and TV shows.
The most interesting of the latter is the Authentic Motion service for the Max tier, which will allow filmmakers to adjust motion processing if needed, to help reduce judder and make things like panning shots look more realistic.
It’s all very well, although I’m not convinced that having so many different HDR categories, which overlap so much, will be a hit with non-cinephile movie fans (simplicity is king here). But, that aside, as I said before, there are two major obstacles that need to be overcome, at the same time, for this to work and fpr Vision 2 to be “the future of home cinema” as Dolby says it will.
To sell quality, you need TVs that can see and play Dolby Vision 2 or Max signals, and professional content on them that will work together to show the benefits of the new technology – the proof is in the pudding and all that.
And while we’ve seen a number of TV makers confirm that new sets will support Dolby Vision, there’s still very little word on which specific movies, shows and their ilk will be recorded and taught. What we know so far is that Peacock will be the first to adopt it, with Canal+ being the official partner.
And it’s at this point that I think Apple should step in, since, in fact, apart from Amazon, which owns MGM, and maybe Sony, the only company I can think of that controls everything in its entertainment and hardware ecosystem.
Think about it. While I still long for Apple to make a true, full-size OLED TV, it makes a lot of hardware designed for media consumption — iPhones, iPads, and its Apple TV streamer.
It also has its own digital movie store and streaming service, in the form of Apple TV+, and commissions, captures and supplies most of the hardware used to make special shows on it.
Editor’s Note: The team and I are still obsessed with the latest season of Shrinking. If you haven’t watched it yet, definitely watch it. The new Gilmore Girls / feel-good show we all need.
And it has already shown its potential to use this control of the entire user experience to introduce new technologies for home cinema, albeit on a smaller scale.
Check out the cool haptic feedback technology it added to its F1 movie trailer for example. It’s a horror film, an amazing experience that has reportedly been viewed 845 million times and a clear example of Apple’s ability to conquer new technology and knowledge in its environment.
I mean, it really shook up the industry with the F1 trailer.
And for me, if it did that again, I revealed a new movie, or a program that specializes in it, a simultaneous launch, or a free bundle, with the new Apple TV 4K ready for Dolby Vision 2, that wouldn’t be a thing…
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