Audi Partners with Dolby to Bring Next-Gen In-Car Audio to Select Models
Quality in-car audio has a new ally
It seems that in-car audio is improving with each passing day. Audi announced today their new partnership with Dolby to bring Dolby Atmos to the Audi Q7, Q8, A8, and e-tron GT starting July 2025. A number of audio streaming services, including Amazon Music, Audible, and TIDAL, will take advantage of this new partnership.
0:07
/
0:09
Thinking about buying a Toyota RAV4? These 5 rivals might change your mind
Watch More
Audi's Bang & Olufsen Premium 3D Sound System is already pretty notch, and has been specifically adapted to work with Dolby Atmos. According to the two companies' press release, 93% of Billboard's 2024 Top 100 Artists are releasing music in Dolby Atmos, so if you're a subscriber of the aforementioned streaming services, you'll have plenty to listen to.
Dolby x Audi —
Source: Dolby x Audi
'The Bang & Olufsen Premium 3D Sound System has been specially adapted to integrate Dolby Atmos. The driver and front passenger can play tracks in Dolby Atmos directly and intuitively via the multimedia interface (MMI) using the Audi Application Store and integrated apps such as Amazon Music, Audible, and Tidal,' the press release reads.
Audi is not the first automaker to embrace Dolby Atmos
Back in March of this year, Cadillac invited me to San Francisco to showcase its partnership with Dolby and the introduction of Dolby Atmos into its Cadillac Optiq SUV. Paired with the 19-speaker AKG system, the system truly turned the Optiq into my personal concert hall, and I imagine that Audi's system is equally as capable. In fact, it might be a little more capable, as the automaker's advertising on its website touts that the system can be equipped with up to 23 speakers and houses specially-designed tweeters in the dashboard.
2025 Audi e-tron GT RS Performance —
Source: Dolby x Audi
Final thoughts
Given how much time we spend in our cars on daily commutes, trips, and everything in between, it's a welcome sight to see automakers treat the in-car listening experience so seriously. My only gripe is the focus on platforms like Amazon Music and Tidal rather than more commonly used ones like Apple Music and Spotify. I understand that both Amazon Music and Tidal use lossless codecs for songs that Spotify has yet to offer, but for me, this severely limits my music choices.
Hopefully, if enough automakers omit Spotify integration from their high-tech in-car audio systems, the streaming service will get its act together and finally offer lossless codecs on its platform as well. Here's to hoping!
About the Author
Gabriel Ionica View Profile
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Telegraph
39 minutes ago
- Telegraph
Live Austrian Grand Prix qualifying: Latest lap updates after Norris sets pace in practice
2:17PM Top five in the drivers' standings Oscar Piastri (McLaren)- 198 points Lando Norris (McLaren)- 176 points Max Verstappen (Red Bull)- 155 points George Russell (Mercedes)- 136 points Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)- 104 points 2:12PM Wolff admits Mercedes in talks to sign Max Verstappen Toto Wolff, the Mercedes team principal, has reignited talk of Max Verstappen potentially joining his team by admitting that he is having 'conversations' with Red Bull's four-time world champion with regard to a future drive. Wolff's comments came after his driver, George Russell, strongly suggested that Mercedes' pursuit of Verstappen was delaying his own contract talks. Russell has repeatedly said that he is not concerned about signing an extension to his deal, which expires at the end of this season, given his current performance levels. The Briton, 27, is fourth in the drivers' championship, 19 points behind Verstappen in third. But by common consent Russell has extracted everything he possibly could out of his car. 2:06PM Top ten in final practice earlier Lando Norris (McLaren) 1:04.324 Oscar Piastri (McLaren) +0.118 Max Verstappen (Red Bull) +0.210 Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) +0.250 Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari) +0.466 George Russell (Mercedes) +0.694 Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) +0.729 Lance Stroll (Aston Martin) +0.738 Yuki Tsunoda (Red Bull) +0.815 Gabriel Bortoleto (Sauber) +0.858 2:01PM Who will take pole in Austria? We are in the picturesque Styrian Hills of Austria and are all set for qualifying for the Austrian Grand Prix. It has been two weeks since the last race in Canada, won by Mercedes' George Russell, which saw the two McLarens collide, with Lando Norris crashing out and current drivers' championship leader Oscar Piastri finishing fourth. That result means Piastri heads into this weekend 22 points clear of Norris. McLaren, who lead by 175 points in the constructors' standings, have brought an upgraded front suspension to their car this weekend. Friday was a special day for Irishman Alex Dunne, who took part in first practice in Norris' McLaren and impressed finishing fourth, under a tenth off Piastri in the other McLaren. Dunne is currently leading the F2 Championship and did test McLaren's 2023 car in Texas last week in preparation for this run-out. Speaking after second practice yesterday, Norris, who topped the timesheets in both second and third practice, was full of praise for Dunne. 'The car felt good from the off. Alex gave good feedback this morning [yesterday] after FP1 and he was on the pace straight away, so it was good to see. I think they moved the car in the right direction for FP2, and we just need to understand whether we want more of that [on Saturday], or a little bit less, or somewhere in the middle. So good steps in the right direction, but still a little bit more to come hopefully. We have shown a bit more pace than some of the others. I certainly think they are going to catch up. Max is not far behind and they usually improve a lot into Saturday.' After topping second practice yesterday, Norris was also fastest in third practice earlier. Piastri was second, with Max Verstappen in third and Charles Leclerc fourth. McLaren are not the only team to bring upgrades to their car for this weekend; Red Bull have a new floor edge whilst Ferrari have a completely redesigned floor. Friday was a tough day for Lewis Hamilton, who had gearbox issues in practice one before impeding Mercedes' Kimi Antonelli in second practice. The seven-time world champion did escape serious punishment, receiving just a warning for 'unnecessary impeding'. A lot of the talk going into the weekend surrounds the futures of Verstappen and George Russell. Verstappen has been linked with a move to Mercedes, with their boss Toto Wolff confirming conversations are being had. The Dutchman is under contract at Red Bull until 2028 but it is believed to have break clauses which Verstappen could use. Verstappen and Russell have come to blows on a number of occasions on and off the track, including as recently as the Spanish Grand Prix where the two collided on track, but Wolff has said he would be happy to pair the two drivers together. Qualifying gets going at 3pm BST.
The Guardian
an hour ago
- The Guardian
Formula One: Austrian Grand Prix qualifying
Update: Date: 2025-06-28T13:00:26.000Z Title: Preamble Content: Hello and welcome to qualifiers of the 2025 Austrian Grand Prix in Spielberg. The Red Bull Ring is a picturesque circuit that drivers find to be relatively simple. But it does come with some secret tough spots. The downhill braking zone at Turn 4 is a spot where so many drivers end up in the gravel. The track surface is quite old and highly abrasive, which teams will factor when picking their tires. As it has been for most of the season, Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris – both of McLaren – lead the driver standings with the defending champion Max Verstappen in third. Norris ended the final practice session at the Red Bull Ring in first, closely followed by Piastri. Join me for the buildup and news before we get to the 3pm BST qualifiers. And, as always, feel free to send your predictions, questions and concerns via email.
The Sun
2 hours ago
- The Sun
Dodgy Facebook crook tried to sell me shady £80 Fire Stick… then threatened to come to my HOUSE
AS I sit and scroll through my phone, I'm being bombarded with shady adverts on Facebook offering dodgy devices with 80,000 premium channels and movies. And it didn't take long for Facebook crooks to reach out to me offering their illicit services - but this time, the criminals are going one terrifying step further. 4 4 In the message, they not only offered "24,000 channels" including Sky Sports as well as movies and series in "HD quality" - they also offered to deliver to my address and install. It might seem like great customer service, but it could put you at risk of "physical harm", experts warned me, with unscrupulous characters turning up at your door. Not only that, Brits in possession of an illegal Fire Stick could receive a £1,000 fine, while those caught selling Firesticks could face jail time. Some dodgy dealers have already been locked up for operating criminal streaming sites as part of a global crackdown, but it's the offer to come to your home address and help install the Fire Stick that'd worrying experts. Kieron Sharp, chairman at the anti-piracy organisation FACT, told The Sun: "It's alarming that criminals can openly advertise illegal streaming services and turn up at people's homes to install them. "Letting them in puts you at risk — not just physically, but digitally too." Fire Stick maker Amazon has faced criticism for not doing enough to tackle illegal streaming on its devices. The gadget's open tech is meant to give people more freedom to download apps outside Amazon's own app store, but it's also susceptible to abuse by illegal streaming operators. An Amazon spokesperson said: "Piracy is illegal, and customers should not buy these devices." It's become a major problem for broadcasters and sports bodies, estimated to cost them billions every year, and they're increasingly frustrated about the lack of action from tech companies. IPTV Crackdown Matt Hibbert, Group Director Anti-Piracy at Sky, said firms want to see faster action from big tech platforms. "We know they have the technology and the capability, now we need to see action," he told The Sun. 'I will deliver' I was approached by an account on Facebook called "Firestick updating", which randomly added me with an open profile and very clear intentions. "SALE SALE SALE SALE SALE!!!" a post on their page unashamedly reads, alongside a photo of boxes and boxes of Fire Sticks. Another image shows a rip-off of the Sky Glass interface. It continues: "£60 for year subscription. "£80 for loaded stick no shipping charges." Within minutes of accepting their friend request, I received a private message. They bragged: "I've worldwide 24,000 channels with all sports channels 80,000 daily basis updated movies and series in HD quality. 4 "You'll have everything Netflix, Amazon Prime, Apple T,V Disney+, full Sky package all sports channels ppv events all Irish UK USA TV channels, movies and series on demand. When I asked if it was traceable, they responded, "No mate, not at all". What shocked me even more was that the person offered to come to my house and install it there and then. Although I didn't share my address, just my rough location, I felt quite intimidated by the offer. They wrote: "I will deliver it and set it up for you." Curiously, researching the matter on Facebook seemed to make Meta 's algorithm think I was interested in illegal streaming, and loads of very obvious ads started to appear. Illegal streaming operations usually have ties to gangs, and the money they get from it funds other serious forms of criminal activity. So the idea of having a stranger who might have dodgy links turning up at my front door was quite scary, and more so considering vulnerable people who might allow them into their homes. Jake Moore, from security firm ESET, said: "Devices sounding too good to be true and sold by someone you don't know coming to your house should be the first alarm bell, but these devices have been known to ship with viruses and other dodgy programs onboard." STRANGER DANGER The risks of illegal streaming to your online life can also be pretty devastating. Fraud is the biggest consequence. We've heard from users who chanced it and had their bank account instantly accessed. A 46-year-old Brit - who has asked to remain anonymous - was referred to a cheap streaming site which gives users access to premium channels including Sky Sports. But shortly after entering his bank details a surge of transactions were attempted on his account totalling several thousand pounds. "A couple of friends had already done it and they had no issues," he revealed to The Sun. "It all seemed quite secure, so I didn't even think at the time. "After that, the payment was taken but there were all sorts of transactions on my bank account for quite a large amount of money which were on various times and various dates for different amounts. "It's scary really, they attempted thousands." Meta's website says the company removes "millions of violating posts and accounts every day on Facebook and Instagram", which can range from serious crime like terrorism, to sexual content not allowed on the platforms. "Most of this happens automatically, with technology working behind the scenes to remove violating content – often before anyone sees it," the company claims. When reaching out to Meta about the influx of illegal streaming ads on my Facebook profile, the examples I showed were quickly taken down. But many more blatantly illegal streaming services have simply replaced them, many featuring Meta's new WhatsApp button so you can chat to sellers immediately. Meta told The Sun that reviewing ads from millions of advertisers globally against its advertising standards is essential, but not without challenges. These devices can expose your Wi-Fi network, steal personal data, spread scams, and infect your devices with malware and viruses. We urge consumers to think twice Kieron SharpFACT The company emphasised that it doesn't allow fraudulent activity and works closely with law enforcement to support investigations and keep scammers off its platforms. Detective Chief Inspector Emma Warbey, from the Police Intellectual Property Crime Unit (PIPCU) at City of London Police, told us: "Illegal streaming is a significant challenge for the industry and while it may seem like a low-risk, high-reward crime, the proceeds are used to fund other serious forms of criminal activity. At the same time, it can expose consumers to the risks of data theft, fraud and malware. "The Police Intellectual Property Crime Unit works with partners across law enforcement and the industry to take action against these criminal operations by utilising our full suite of enforcement options, including pursuing criminal prosecutions and serving 'cease and desist' notices to offenders." While it might seem like a tempting offer, Brits be warned - criminals behind the computer screens are not just looking to infiltrate your digital life but your home life too.
