Apple has patented a new audio system that would make sound on its MacBooks appear more immersive.
The US Patent and Trademark Office has granted Apple the patent for a “system to move virtual sound away from a listener,” meaning viewers watching content on a MacBook would have a more immersive experience.
The virtual acoustic system would immerse the viewer in sound, adding to “the feeling of ‘being there,'” according to the patent. It would send noise out at different angles, aiming the audio at specific parts of a room, to create the illusion that the sound isn’t coming from the laptop.
However, Apple does caveat in the patent that in virtual acoustic simulations, there’s “always some imperfection or error” that makes the listener notice the sound is actually coming from the laptop. The company said it could fix this by exaggerating the reverberation and other settings.
