It’s now possible for Sony to support Dolby Atmos and Dolby Vision for the PlayStation 5. And they can add it sooner rather than later. After Microsoft clarified that they don’t have an exclusive agreement for the Dolby Atmos or Dolby Vision for the Xbox Series X|S. This paves the way for Sony to add support to their latest console any time they want.
The Microsoft – Dolby Exclusivity
It was believed that Microsoft has an exclusive deal with Dolby following a now-deleted blog post published on the Xbox Wire France. The post claimed that Dolby Atmos and Dolby Vision will be exclusive for the Xbox consoles for two years. This meant that other consoles like the PS5 can’t include the technology as part of their features.
But soon, Microsoft clarified the statement made in the blog post. According to TechRadar, the company told them that a local Xbox Team mistakenly published the blog post with inaccurate information. Microsoft said that they don’t have an “exclusivity agreement of either tech on Xbox”. Dolby themselves also made a statement that both Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos are not exclusive to consoles.
This means that any platform can include support for both technologies. So, there’s no hindering Sony anymore if they want to add Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos support on the PS5.
What does Dolby Atmos & Dolby Vision do?
Dolby Atmos is a surround sound technology that will allow existing surround sound to expand. It will add heightened channels so that sounds are interpreted as three-dimensional objects. It’s one of the most popular surround sound formats available. It basically improves the sound experience, whether you’re watching movies or playing games, because of the surround sound feature. Dolby Vision, on the other hand, is a dynamic HDR format.
This technology will improve the quality of the movie that you’re watching. It will constantly adjust the picture scene-by-scene to feature more details, vivid colors, and better color accuracy. It’s a great feature that can further improve your viewing experience.
Will Sony Soon Include Support for Dolby Atmos & Dolby Vision
With both technologies available, will Sony actually support these technologies on the PS5? However, it seems unlikely since Sony is already using its own spatial audio technology, the Tempest 3D Audio. With this technology on the PS5 already, it doesn’t seem like Sony will be in any rush to include support for the Dolby Atmos.
But what about the Dolby Vision?
The PS5 doesn’t currently support the format of the technology. But it would be a welcome addition to the console. This is especially true if you use the PS5 for streaming apps such as Netflix. The favored HDR format of the popular streaming service is the Dolby Vision, so it would be great if Sony starts supporting the technology.
Wrapping Up
The impact of the Dolby Vision on gaming has yet to be seen, but it is already being tested. They’re expecting the technology to deliver more realistic and lifelike graphics. It would be great to see both technologies supported by the PS5. But if Sony provides support for Dolby Atmos and Dolby Vision, don’t expect it to be free.
The Xbox consoles, for example, allow access to Dolby Atmos. But it’s not available for free. Users are required to pay a license fee if they want the technology to be enabled. If Sony does support the technology, this is likely going to be their route as well. They’ll enable the option, but after you pay a licensing fee. Microsoft offers free trials and promos where the option is available for a certain period after purchasing the console. Sony could also follow that route.
