Despite earlier warnings to the contrary, Dolby Labs announces its Digital Plus technology will be built into Windows 8, Windows 8 Professional, and Windows RT on ARM tablets.
Dolby Laboratories warned shareholders last August that its audio/DVD playback technologies were unlikely to be incorporated into Windows 8.
It looks like the Windows client team has had a change of heart. Dolby today announced that its Dolby Digital Plus technology would be part of the Windows 8 client releases.
Dolby's Digital Plus is built into Windows 7 Home Premium, Professional, and Ultimate, according to Dolby's Web site. The site describes Dolby's Digital Plus as providing "next-generation surround sound" that helps improve the listening experience of DVDs and digital TVs by complementing high-definition video with support for HD audio -- something that Windows Media Center users would appreciate.
But with Windows 8, Microsoft is marginalizing Windows Media Center. There's no word from Microsoft as to if and whether the company intends to update the current Windows Media Center bits. But Microsoft will offer Windows Media Center as a paid (no idea yet on the price) add-on media pack for those with the Windows 8 Professional release.
Today's Dolby press release notes that Digital Plus will be in all PCs and tablets running Windows 8, Windows 8 Professional and Windows RT (the Windows on ARM) versions. From the release:
Developers will be enabled to deliver the highest level of immersive experiences and cinematic sound through Windows 8 APIs in desktop and Metro-style apps, including those developed for x86 and ARM architectures. Dolby Digital Plus 5.1-channel decoding and Dolby Digital two-channel encoding will be supported in all PCs and tablets licensed to run Windows 8, Windows 8 Pro, and Windows RT editions.
As AllThingsD noted, Dolby is expecting Windows 8 to ship some time during its fiscal 2013, which begins in October. Microsoft officials still have not announced a general availability date for Windows 8.
source:cnet
