Pioneer is offering an aftermarket head unit that will enable Dolby Atmos through Apple CarPlay.
This will allow drivers to upgrade their car audio for a more immersive, Spatial Audio soundtrack.
Drivers wanting to expand the audio experience in their car now have a solution in the form of the Pioneer Sphera, an aftermarket head unit that enables Dolby Atmos Spatial Audio streaming through Apple CarPlay.
The Sphera was first announced at CES 2026 and is now on general sale at a price of $1,300, available through the Pioneer website. Wider availability is currently unknown for this new system.
The key thing about the Sphera is that it brings Dolby Atmos and Spatial Audio through Apple CarPlay, with a clever autotuning feature that will optimise the sound output over your car's existing speakers for more optimised Dolby Atmos delivery.
You'll also be able to control the soundstage, shifting the sweet spot to different seats to suit your preference.
Everything is controlled through a 10.1-inch touchscreen that appears to float and, as an aftermarket unit, it needs an accessible single DIN slot to house the electronics. That's worth noting, as this is a system designed for slightly older cars, rather than upgrading cars using an integrated system.
Is the Pioneer Sphera only for CarPlay?
Of course, you'll need access to Dolby Atmos content and it's only supported through Apple CarPlay at the moment – Android Auto doesn't offer Atmos. The Pioneer Sphera, however, does support Android Auto, so if another driver gets in wanting to use Android, that's no problem.
So far, Dolby Atmos has only been available in cars through a limited number of suppliers: Mercedes offers it through the Burmeister sound system across its entire fleet, Audi supports Dolby Atmos through the Bang & Olufsen system, while Lotus offers it through the KEF system.
While these systems all use Apple CarPlay's ability to supply Dolby Atmos content, one of the first suppliers was Volvo and Polestar. In this case, Android Automotive was used to enable Dolby Atmos on the native music apps with Atmos content, like Apple Music.
Dolby Atmos can make a surprising difference to the soundtrack in your car, making better use of the speakers for a more immersive experience. But it's not just about music – I've also sampled Dolby Atmos on Audible and it makes for a much richer experience.
Granted, the quality of Dolby Atmos through streaming services does vary, with some tracks being different to others. At least now there's a route to getting Atmos through Apple CarPlay on older vehicles, so you don't have to rush out and buy a brand new Mercedes CLA.
