Apple TV finally supports lossless audio, but here’s why audiophiles are still disappointed

Apple rolls out consistent updates for the Apple TV 4K platform that continue to make it appealing to owners and would-be buyers alike, and for the most part, I’m happy that I own one. A first-gen Apple TV 4K sits in my living room as my main streaming device, and while its age is starting to show a bit, it’s still a great device that I plan to use until it simply stops working.

A big part of the viewing experience for me is audio, and that’s the reason I have a 5.1.2 Dolby Atmos surround sound setup in my living room. When I pop in a 4K Blu-ray, I know I’m not going to have any issues with my player and receiver taking whatever audio signal exists and sending it through my speakers. Unfortunately, the Apple TV 4K still has that issue, and even though Apple keeps on pushing updates, the problem continues to persist. At this point, I have to wonder if Apple is playing with me.

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Apple TV 4K gets lossless audio… for AirPods

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Apple’s tvOS 18.4 update adds lossless audio for AirPods Max users, which is nice for people who listen with earbuds. I can’t say I watch TV like that ever, so it’s an update that doesn’t do a lot for me. Instead, I’d like to see Apple focus on audio for people with home theaters. The nice thing about having a receiver is that it’s able to handle all types of audio formats, ranging from Dolby Digital, Atmos, DTS: X, etc. No matter what I’m playing, I know my receiver can handle it.

I can’t say the same thing about the Apple TV 4K as, according to its specs page, it only supports Dolby Digital 5.1, Dolby Digital Plus 7.1, and Dolby Atmos. That covers most popular formats, but the issue is bigger than that. I have a receiver to cover all my bases, so the fact the Apple TV 4K can’t do that for me isn’t great. It wouldn’t be an issue if the Apple TV 4K supported audio passthrough over HDMI, so my receiver could pick up the slack, but that’s not the world we live in. Instead, the Apple TV 4K takes my audio and does the work itself, so if it takes a format that’s not supported, I get a lesser experience. On top of that, the audio that ultimately does get output isn’t Hi-res lossless. Fortunately, this isn’t a problem for most people as they likely can’t tell the difference, and it might not be worth the hype for many.

My problem with this is the Apple TV 4K is already the most expensive streaming device on the market. The cheaper Roku Ultra supports audio passthrough over HDMI, so there’s not a good reason the Apple TV can’t do it too. We see Apple keeps on pushing the boundaries, this latest update for lossless audio over AirPods being the latest example. I wish Apple would finally add this update and be done with it, especially since cheaper platforms already have it. I won’t hold my breath for this since Apple has had years to implement it, but considering how many updates still come to the Apple TV 4K, maybe it’s still in the pipeline.

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We’re now several years removed from the last iteration of the Apple TV 4K, so we’re due for an upgrade. That’s especially the case for me as somebody who has an eight-year-old device. I’ve tried out the Roku Ultra and an Amazon Fire TV Stick Max, but neither of them could replace my Apple TV as my main device. I don’t think HDMI passthrough is a hardware limitation of the Apple TV 4K, but if it somehow is, a new iteration could fix that.

On top of audio passthrough, there are many more things I want from the next-gen Apple TV 4K. Apple Intelligence support is a big one as that’s one of the new features Apple has been pushing, but it’s been absent from Apple TV. Having a way to get better movie recommendations is a big thing for me, and if I can do that from the comfort of my couch with the Apple TV, I’d love that. The third-gen Apple TV 4K is the only model that’s still receiving all the features in new updates, as the first-gen and even the second-gen are missing out on some of the latest ones. That’s to be expected as technology ages, so it seems like there are some hardware limitations for many of the updates being rolled out.

There are many rumors about a next-gen model arriving in 2025. We’re in line for an upgrade given Apple’s previous cadence, but there’s been nothing officially announced as of yet. The Apple TV 4K finds itself as the most expensive streaming box on the market, and it’s not particularly close. The third-gen version has two models that cost $130 and $150 respectively, while the competition peaks at $100. I’ve talked about it before, but I wish Apple would be more competitive in the budget-friendly tier. The Roku Ultra comes with an Ethernet port at no extra charge, while you need to shell out $150 to get an Apple TV equipped with one. It’s part of the reason why Apple TV competitors might have more value for some people.

Part of the reason those cheaper alternatives offer those features could be to remain competitive, and I can’t fault them for that. I know when I’m talking about an Apple TV 4K to my friends and family, I don’t typically recommend it unless they’re looking for the best of the best. For a lot of people, a Roku Ultra or even a streaming stick gets the job done. Just about anything is better than using the slow and sluggish smart TV UI. I hope when Apple makes a new Apple TV 4K, it’s more affordable, so I can give it a better recommendation. I also hope it’s finally what gives us audio passthrough too.

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