Sony is launching its 360-degree audio format this fall
Amazon’s upcoming Echo Studio, which will support 360 Reality Audio. | Dan Seifert / The Verge
Sony has announced that its new 360 Reality Audio technology will launch in late fall with several partners. The format involves object-based spatial audio that places various elements of a music track around the listener in a virtual spherical environment. The experience is designed to replicate live music, with instruments and vocals coming from different directions.
At launch, there will be around 1,000 songs available in 360 Reality Audio, including tracks from artists like Pharrell Williams, Bob Dylan, and Billy Joel. Sony has also captured live performances from artists such as Charlie XCX and Kodaline and converted them to the new format. Sony will of course be able to leverage music from its own record label, but the company says...