Front Row For Mac

Apple’s spatial audio technology has been around for a while now, long enough to expect more support for it among popular third-party desktop players. However, things are going slower than expected, with apps like IINA still not capable of playing spatial audio.

Front Row is a very, very simple video player with a clear aim: to serve as an alternative to QuickTime for users who want to play HDR or spatial audio videos but aren’t fans of Apple’s default player or its shortcuts.

This app was created with AVKit, which has support for spatial audio, as you would expect. If you have any video with HDR content or spatial audio, you’ll be able to play it in Front Row and get best viewing experience.

While HDR support is more widespread, Apple’s 3D audio technology is still in the process of being adopted by many third-party players, such as the widely-popular IINA. Until then, this player should work as an alternative, though its minimalistic design makes it a viable choice even beyond that.

When it comes to the app’s actual features, there isn’t a lot to speak of. You have a basic player window, with the standard controls at the bottom. The arrow keys allow you to skip back and forward five seconds, and the window can be configured to float on top of other applications.

Other than the above, Front Row has no additional functionality, and no settings or hotkeys that can be configured. The app was made purposely simple, intended only as a tool for playing HDR and spatial audio videos.

If we judge it based on its intended purpose, Front Row works great. It remains to be seen if the player will be improved or expanded upon, but if it’s not, it’s a great way to play content not supported by your preferred video player.