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Could Netflix Be Testing Spatial Audio for AirPods Pro and AirPods Max?

In their never-ending mission to enhance their streaming features, it seems Netflix has another one on the way. According to MacRumors via iphonesoft.fr, the streaming giant is currently testing spatial audio for AirPods Pro and AirPods Max. The feature is reportedly being readied for a spring launch.

With spatial audio, users are able to get a theater-like, three dimensional sound experience through their Apple listening devices. The feature works with the ‌iPhone‌ and the iPad, so if Netflix launches it, it’ll be limited to movies/shows streamed via compatible iPhones or tablets.

If it’s true, the spatial audio test is happening along with the company’s audio-only mode test which they launched back in December. The feature will allow users to disable video and listen to the audio of a TV show or movie in the background. At the time of launch, audio-only mode was being tested for Android devices.

In order to activate audio-only, users can select the “Video Off” button found in Netflix’s playback screen. Users have to opt-in to use the feature for every title and every session. As it stands, interactive content isn’t available for audio-only.

In June, the streaming service started to roll out a new “Remove From Row” feature, allowing users to delete unwanted content from the “Continue Watching” row. Prior to that, if you started watching a show or movie and stopped somewhere in the middle, that show/movie was added onto the “Continue Watching” row so you can come back to it later.

However, if you decided you didn’t want to finish it at all, the service didn’t give you an option to remove the show from the list. Instead, it remained on the row and eventually got pushed to the back as you watched other programs. With the “Remove From Row” feature, you can now delete it from the listing altogether.


Stephanie Sengwe is writer based in New York who covers companies in the streaming industry including AT&T, Amazon, Apple, Hulu, Roku, and Netflix . She also contributes daily news coverage on streaming services and devices for The Streamable.

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