Apple TV 4K Gains Continuous Audio Connection in tvOS 26.4 Beta, Eliminating Audio Dropouts During Format Changes

There is, however, a philosophical split among enthusiasts. Some purists prefer visible format switching on their receiver displays as reassurance of “bitstream purity,” while others argue that MAT-over-LPCM is already a decoded domain and therefore less elegant. The counterpoint—supported by Dolby’s own specifications—is that MAT preserves object-based data without lossy re-encoding, making it functionally transparent while dramatically improving system stability. In that sense, Apple is prioritising deterministic playback over theatrical theatrics on the front panel, aligning with its long-standing bias toward consistency rather than configurability. For complex setups involving HDMI 2.1 displays, eARC links and multiple intermediate devices, that design choice may prove more transformative than any headline-grabbing new codec support.