Apple Reportedly Developing New Audio Format for Adaptive Streaming

[Thomas.Dennehy]

Reported by the Guardian of London. Of course Apple not commenting.

http://gu.com/p/35nnc/tw

 

[Phelonious Ponk]

So far this is about improving the quality of their current standard 256kbps AAC files. I wonder if the market for hi-res audio is even big enough to attract a company like Apple?

Tim

 

[Thomas.Dennehy]

Disappointed that this is same as Mastered for Itunes.

 

[Phelonious Ponk]

Disappointed that this is same as Mastered for Itunes.

Well if it helps at all, it means they'll have the raw material to do hi res, should they ever choose to. That seem like a pretty remote possibility, but then again, as I've said before, it's not like Apple's mass market was crying out for better quality when they went from 128 to 256. And it's not like the kid on the corner with his IEMs and iPod is demanding a better quality of master. Apple, I think, just does this kind of thing because they can, because the technology becomes available, the bandwidth for delivering it becomes common enough, etc. I think they do it because what they sell is, and always has been secondary to delvering the best customer experience they can.

And it wouldn't be the first time they delivered a better customer experience and it took awhile for the customer to notice.

FWIW, the "Mastered for iTunes" stuff sounds good. I'll take a good master at 256kbps over a mediocre one in hi-res any day. I'll be watching that section of the iTunes store closely.

Tim

 

[amirm]

Adaptive streaming means they will encode into multiple bitrates and then depending on link speed, they will play the right one. With bandwidth caps and high wireless bandwidth costs, it doesn't make sense to stream 256kps to a phone so likely they will go all the way down to 64 kbps and possibly deploy AAC+ (and upgrade their phones to support the same).

This technology also then allows going up above 256kbps but I suspect they won't go there.

 

[rblnr]

And it wouldn't be the first time they delivered a better customer experience and it took awhile for the customer to notice.

Best hope I've seen for SQ to become more valued by the masses.

 

[Phelonious Ponk]

Adaptive streaming means they will encode into multiple bitrates and then depending on link speed, they will play the right one. With bandwidth caps and high wireless bandwidth costs, it doesn't make sense to stream 256kps to a phone so likely they will go all the way down to 64 kbps and possibly deploy AAC+ (and upgrade their phones to support the same).

This technology also then allows going up above 256kbps but I suspect they won't go there.

Sounds like a great reason to stay out of the cloud. Interesting, though. Spotify is 128kbps for the free service, "up to" 320 for the subscription.
But maybe that doesn't apply to mobile devices...don't know.
Tim

 

[andromedaaudio]

Talk about a strong american brand , here are people pilling up in front of a new applestore in the amsterdam centre .
Same with starbucks , the magic american coffee, whats the deal here getting a piece of the american dream while drinking the coffee

http://www.telegraaf.nl/binnenland/11638884/__Lange_rij_voor_nieuwe_Apple_Store__.html