YouTube TV is expanding support for surround sound — but not on Apple TV just yet

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YouTube TV on TV
YouTube TV on TV (Image credit: iMore)

What you need to know

  • YouTube TV has announced new 5.1 surround sound support is coming to some new devices.
  • Google TV, Android TV, and Roku users will get 5.1 surround sound support soon.
  • Those using Apple TV hardware or game consoles will have to wait a while longer.

YouTube TV is adding support for 5.1 surround sound to more devices — but those using an Apple TV box are going to have to wait a little longer, the streamer says.

In a post to Twitter, YouTube TV confirmed that it is working on bringing 5.1 surround sound to Google TV, Android TV, and Roku devices next. and while the company does intend to add Apple TV hardware as well as game consoles like the PS5 and Xbox Series X/S to the mix, we're all going to have to wait a bit longer. How long? Who knows.

We're still working internally and with partners to enable 5.1 on Apple TV, Fire TV, and game consoles. We don't like keeping you waiting, but we're excited for you to hear 5.1 audio soon.

YouTube TV is one of the services cordcutters have been using as a way to ditch traditional cable services, but the lack of 5.1 surround sound support is less than great news for people who want to be as emersed in their content as possible.

As of right now, the only devices that do support 5.1 surround sound are Samsung, LG, and Vizio devices running Cobalt 20 or later as well as traditional Chromecast devices. Everyone else will have to make do with boring old stereo sound until Google TV, Android TV, and Roky devices come online — hopefully in the near future.

Oliver Haslam
Oliver Haslam
Contributor

Oliver Haslam has written about Apple and the wider technology business for more than a decade with bylines on How-To Geek, PC Mag, iDownloadBlog, and many more. He has also been published in print for Macworld, including cover stories. At iMore, Oliver is involved in daily news coverage and, not being short of opinions, has been known to 'explain' those thoughts in more detail, too. Having grown up using PCs and spending far too much money on graphics card and flashy RAM, Oliver switched to the Mac with a G5 iMac and hasn't looked back. Since then he's seen the growth of the smartphone world, backed by iPhone, and new product categories come and go. Current expertise includes iOS, macOS, streaming services, and pretty much anything that has a battery or plugs into a wall. Oliver also covers mobile gaming for iMore, with Apple Arcade a particular focus. He's been gaming since the Atari 2600 days and still struggles to comprehend the fact he can play console quality titles on his pocket computer.