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Beginning at $1,300 and transport this spring, the Sphera is the latest aftermarket CarPlay unit from Pioneer that automotive homeowners needs to be taking note of. Launched at CES 2026, the Sphera is the world’s first aftermarket spatial audio head unit that may help Dolby Atmos in CarPlay. That is nice information to anybody seeking to improve the top unit of their automotive with an aftermarket answer that helps Dolby Atmos content material. The Sphera can be an answer for cars with infotainment systems that don’t support CarPlay.
Pioneer stated in its announcement that the Sphera is a product that ought to work for “thousands and thousands of present autos,” with out mentioning any particular fashions. Nonetheless, the corporate notes that set up is feasible with “minimal modification,” as the top unit ought to match a “extensive number of autos.”
The pinnacle unit will work with the automotive’s audio system and use Pioneer’s proprietary Pure Autotuning know-how to customise the sound expertise to the automotive’s inside. Pure is meant to bear in mind the distinctive traits of the cabin, together with the dimensions, form, and supplies. Pure Autotuning will “exactly regulate time alignment, frequency response, and channel ranges to optimize efficiency and place the listener on the acoustical middle place.” This may make sure the spatial audio and Dolby Atmos expertise customers need from their automotive’s sound system.
The Pioneer Sphera options
The Sphera, seen within the photos above, is a ten.1-inch HD capacitive show that gives “crisp visibility and responsive controls.” The system helps Pioneer’s Fast Swipe consumer interface for “quick, intuitive changes on the street.” The system helps a split-screen mode, the place part of the show shall be devoted to particular options and controls, so drivers can simply entry them. Sphera helps wi-fi connectivity to iPhone (CarPlay) and Android telephones (Android Auto), and Bluetooth.
The Sphera additionally options an built-in Pioneer Luminous Bar that provides a “delicate visible signature to the sprint.” The sunshine system affords two modes, together with an Enhanced Visible Mode for navigation help and a Music Synchronization Mode that syncs lighting to audio. To create that “wealthy, immersive, listening expertise” in Dolby Atmos, Sphera will use the automotive’s entrance and rear audio system. Customers shouldn’t should buy different {hardware} to make sure their CarPlay expertise helps Spatial Audio and Dolby Atmos.
Sphera’s spotlight could also be help for Spatial Audio and Dolby Atmos in CarPlay, however the Pioneer receiver additionally works with Android Auto. Whereas Spatial Audio (capitalized) is an Apple know-how for 3D sound, Dolby Atmos can also be obtainable to Android Auto customers sooner or later, as that is a 3D sound know-how separate from Apple’s Spatial Audio. Nonetheless, the press launch and Pioneer’s Sphera product page make no point out of Dolby Atmos help for Android. The product web page says “extra platforms are coming quickly,” with out itemizing Android Auto by identify. Lastly, Dolby Atmos might not be obtainable for all audio content material streaming within the automotive. Pioneer says in a footnote that streaming Dolby Atmos content material could require a subscription.
