This streamer beat Netflix to become the first to use all-Dolby picture and sound

In what’s being described as a first for the streaming industry as a whole, NBCUNnversal’s Peacock is set to adopt Dolby’s entire suite of advanced audiovisual technologies onto its video platform, including Dolby Vision for improved high dynamic range (HDR) picture quality and Dolby Atmos for more immersive soundscapes.

The announcement comes out of CES 2026, which is a major technology trade show currently taking place in Las Vegas, Nevada. The joint initiative between the two companies will first see Vision and Atmos support integrated into upcoming live sporting events including NFL, NBA, and Premier League content, with a rollout slated to take place “later this year.”

“Peacock is raising the bar for what streaming entertainment can be with Dolby,” says John Couling, senior vice president of entertainment at Dolby Laboratories. “This partnership reflects our vision to push the boundaries of live sports and entertainment, delivering experiences that truly stand apart. With Dolby, Peacock stands as the premier destination for viewers who expect nothing less than exceptional entertainment at home.”

Dolby Vision is a proprietary HDR format that improves the brightness and color levels of video, resulting in a more realistic, vibrant, and moodier picture. Unlike the more common HDR10 standard, Dolby Vision makes scene-by-scene adjustments and supports more colors. Dolby Atmos, meanwhile, is a sound technology that creates a 3D surround sound effect for more immersive audio, working via an object-based audio system rather than the more typical channel-based system of other solutions. Both Vision and Atmos require a paid license to implement it into products and services.

Dolby’s next-gen technologies are also coming to Peakcock

Both Dolby Vision 2 and AC-4 will arrive on the streamer sometime down the road

In addition to its embrace of both Dolby Vision and Atmos, the Peacock streaming service is also set to adopt Dolby’s next-generation video and sound technologies once they become available later this year. Specifically, Dolby Vision 2 and the AC-4 audio codec will make their way to the platform, though there’s no word on what percentage of content will support these new technologies at the time of launch, or whether there will be any strings attached.

Dolby Vision 2 was announced back in September of last year, touting a redesigned image engine, content intelligence tools, Authentic Motion, and other improvements within its specification. At the time of writing, there are no commercially available Vision 2 products on the market, nor is there any Vision 2 content available to stream or purchase. The first Vision 2-capable TVs are expected to ship sometime in 2026.

…Peacock’s adoption of these various Dolby picture and sound technologies is sure to be a welcome addition, assuming execution and deployment are done well.

AC-4 is a new Dolby-created audio codac that aims to improve sound quality by carrying channel and object-based programming, personalized audio streams, and support for dialogue enhancement. Notably, AC-4 reduces bandwidth through its more efficient compression system, which might prove useful in the internet-based streaming space. AC-4 is in the process of being adopted by hardware makers, processor designers, and others within the industry, though it hasn’t yet launched in earnest.

For sports fans in particular, Peacock’s adoption of these various Dolby picture and sound technologies is sure to be a welcome addition, assuming execution and deployment are done well. If all goes as planned, the end result should be better true-to-life visuals, brighter imagery, easier-to-hear conversation, and more atmospheric soundscapes across the board. On the flip side, it’s possible that bandwidth-conscious content compression will dull the effects of these Dolby additions once added in, both metaphorically and literally.