My phone has an Atmos mode lol. To be honest, it DOES expand the sound rather nicely. I don't watch video on my phone aside from various youtube clips, and very rarely. Music seems to benefit from it as well though and I use my phone for music all the time.
Atmos itself is NOT a marketing thing. It really does add a lot to films. Dolby is and isn't part of the problem. They develop the tech and license it out with the idea that it will improve things for users. The end result though is that it does just become little more than a buzzword to sell products and that is definitely a big fat marketing scheme. There are different features for different products, so a generic label of "Atmos" doesn't really tell you exactly what you're getting, which means as always with consumer products: buyer beware. Dolby has the right idea but they can't control what happens once they license it out to those companies who are just looking for a label on the box.
I agree J.
I just watched Finch in Atmos. Fantastic. That’s all I can say.
Now I’m trying some “spacial music” on my atv 4K. Wow. That’s all I can say. I’ve tried Taylor swift, post Malone, the weekend, rush, Pearl
Jam, lorde, the Beatles bastille and Pink Floyd so far. I’m hearing songs I’ve loved for a long time in a whole new way. For example, as a life long drummer I’ve listened to Tom Sawyer at least 10,000 times lol. Never heard it like this.
Some choices are…interesting.
But. I. Love. It.
FWIW my system is 7.3.4
Unfortunately the marketing part just plain sucks and is misleading. It’s too bad because while my system is pedestrian compared to some, I’ve had some great experiences with Atmos here, and in friends homes too.
Edit: Have to add. While typing this, the bastille track was playing and there was some weird boop boop sound effects that were bouncing back and forth just barely over my head.
So good….