For the first time, Apple Music‘s popular spatial audio feature is being extended to cars. Mercedes-Benz announced today that it is adding Apple Music with spatial audio to a select number of its cars starting today, but support for the feature is not free…
Mercedes-Benz and Apple announced in a press release that Apple Music with spatial audio is now directly integrated with the MBUX infotainment system, first in the Mercedes-Maybach S-Class, EQS and EQS SUV, EQE, EQE SUV, and S-Class. The feature is available in these vehicles when equipped with the 31-speaker Burmester 3D or 4D sound system, which costs an added $4,550 or $6,730 at the time of purchase.
This gives drivers “studio-quality sound better than in any concert hall” and “a fully immersive listening experience with unparalleled, multidimensional sound and clarity.”
In a statement, Apple’s vice president of Apple Music and Beats, Oliver Schusser, appreciated the new partnership:
“Sound quality is incredibly important to Apple Music which is why we are so excited to be working with Mercedes to make Spatial Audio on Apple Music available natively in the car for the first time. Spatial Audio is revolutionizing the way artists create and fans listen to music and it’s an experience that is impossible to explain in words; you have to hear it for yourself to appreciate it. Together with Mercedes, we now have even more opportunities to bring wholly immersive music to our subscribers all over the world.”
This is the first time Apple Music’s spatial audio feature has been extended to car audio systems. Apple first announced the feature, along with support for lossless streaming, last year. All Apple Music subscribers have free access to spatial audio and lossless streaming.
“We’re joining forces to offer our customers a benchmark music experience unparalleled in the industry,” said Markus Schäfer, Mercedes-Benz Group AG’s chief technology officer and a member of the board of management. “We are proud that our vehicles will be the first-ever non-Apple devices to feature immersive Spatial Audio with Dolby Atmos. This seamless experience shows how in-car entertainment can reach exciting new levels by perfectly integrating hardware and software.”
