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Apple hires Dolby’s technology chief to bolster audio and display technologies

rockwell

Continuing its high-level executive hiring spree, Apple has recruited Dolby Executive Vice President Mike Rockwell to become an executive in its hardware division, 9to5Mac has learned. According to a source, Rockwell has likely been hired to bolster the audio and display performance of future Apple products, which could include anything from next-generation Apple monitors to professional audio/video editing tools to speakers. Rockwell’s LinkedIn profile confirms he joined Apple in February but does not specify his role.

At Dolby, Rockwell was most recently in charge of the company’s Advanced Technology Group, where he led the “invention of new technology and incubation of new businesses,” according to an archive of Dolby’s executive profiles page. While Dolby is best-known for multichannel audio solutions, Rockwell was interestingly involved in Dolby Vision, a “state-of-the-art color display technology” designed to improve the color rendition and brightness of high-definition displays and capture tools, among other projects.

Prior to his most recent role, Rockwell was in charge of all Dolby product technologies, leading development for “innovations in sound quality in the cinema, in the home, in mobile and portable devices,” according to his biography. Before joining Dolby, where former Apple executives Bob Borchers and Avie Tevanian have taken on senior marketing and director positions, respectively, Rockwell was CTO of Avid, a company specializing in professional video and audio software, and he had a background in audio technology.

Rockwell is one of Apple’s most notable hires from the audio and display space in recent years, but he is not the first. In 2011, Apple hired Thomason Holman of THX and LucasFilm fame to run its audio hardware division, while in 2014, Apple hired audio engineers Dana Massie and Peter Eastty. Combined with its Beats Electronics acquisition in 2014, it seems likely that Apple is working on a significant restructuring of its audio products, ranging from computer speakers, to headphones, to audio software.

While Apple is clearly working toward new audio technologies, the company’s line of standalone cinema displays has remained unchanged since 2011. Apple has upgraded its display technologies across Macs and iOS devices, with the Retina 5K iMac and Retina iPads/iPhones/iPods, but its standalone display offering still uses outdated technologies. Perhaps Apple is taking its time to work on something completely new for video professionals and Rockwell’s background could be instrumental in the future product’s development.

Rockwell resigned from Dolby on January 31st, according to a filing with the SEC.

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Comments

  1. Rich Davis (@RichDavis9) - 9 years ago

    I think Apple needs to hire or buy out some people from the high end audio companies. I don’t think Dolby is necessary the right company for this since they didn’t really design physical products for the mass market. Their biggest push was more multichannel processing for home theater applications. I think Apple may want to jump on the Meridian MQA bandwagon and offer Lossless. I don’t know if this is true, but Apple could potentially get the MQA codec and dump it into iTunes, but they first need Lossless files instead of Lossy.

    The problem is that when designing products for better sounding audio, the costs go up like a log scale and the quality in sound doesn’t improve at the same rate. Another words, to get a small incremental improvement in sound costs more at an ever increasing level. At some point, it makes no sense for the average person which is why the masses can’t afford most high end systems.

    For streaming services, the majority of the market will probably opt for Lossy, a small market segment will go for Lossless, and then another even portion of people only want to buy their content in a variety of formats, Lossy, Lossless and then the higher res stuff like 24 Bit and DSD.

    The challenge is making enough profits to keep the doors open. The problem with companies like Tidal, Spotify, etc. is that streaming music is their own money making business and that model simply doesn’t make that much money if at all. Apple, on the other hand isn’t JUST a music download sales company, Apple’s survival does not depend solely on music download or streaming sales. Apple’s business is dependent on smartphones, tablets, desktops, laptops and then other accessories and services.

    • Leif Paul Ashley - 9 years ago

      I don’t think this has anything to do with streaming quality. I think this is for products in particular, like iPhone, iPad, and Macs.

      • 1sugomac - 9 years ago

        He is working primarily on the Apple TV.

  2. jimgramze - 9 years ago

    Maybe this guy can also help with music production issues in things like Apple’s Logic, and music playback issues on the Mac in general. I do high-end audio stuff on my Mac, and there are issues even when listening to music over headphones. This guy or someone like him is sorely needed.

  3. drhalftone - 9 years ago

    I thought Apple got a lot of really really smart audio engineers when they bought Beats. No?

  4. Dolby has a long history of innovating in the audio standards space, from Dolby Stereo to their latest Dolby Atmos. They are now moving into creating a visual standard for screens known as Dolby Vision. It will help to ensure that your movie looks the same no matter what screen it is presented on – in the same way everything sounds the same.

    My belief is that Apple has brought him on the help with a wide range of products. Although, he will probably focus on something like the Retina Displays, ensuring your iMac 5K, iPad Retina and iPhone Retina HD all look the same – chiefly helped by using the same resolution in each.

    He will also work on their iTunes offering, Beats streaming and the rumoured  TV streaming service. In all areas he can help Apple develop high resolution audio offerings as well as aid in implementing current Dolby standards.

    I think this is another step towards Apple making some big changes. This news goes hand in hand with the rumours of their TV streaming service and their recent acquisitions of FoundationDB and companies of the like. It points towards offering both audio and visual streaming services, and Mike Rockwell may as well be the proverbial cherry on top.