At the WWDC (Worldwide Developers Conference) last June, Apple unveiled its new Apple Spatial Audio Format (or ASAF), recently detailed in a technical video published by the manufacturer.
ASAF: you go to get a banana in the kitchen, the volume of the headphones drops ££££
Where "spatial audio" or 3D formats simply position the sound objects in a scene in relation to the fixed position of the listener or the audio output, ASAF has the particularity of fixing the position of the sounds, taking into account your movements. For example, if you keep your headphones on and move away from the audio source to get a banana in the kitchen, the volume will decrease as you move. The format can even take into account the acoustic characteristics of the listening room, increasing the feeling of immersion. Although Apple claims that ASAF works with iPhones, iPads, Macs, and Apple TVs, the format is best used with mixed reality headsets like the Apple Vision Pro.
It should be noted, of course, that ASAF requires compatible hardware, from the content to the headset, including the Apple device used to store or access the content. The format is currently in the hands of developers, and the first content using it should arrive in the coming months.
