Is Apple about to offer 'adaptive streaming' on iTunes?
Now this is interesting: The Guardian reports that Apple is developing a new audio file format that will offer "adaptive streaming" to provide high- or low-quality files to users of its iCloud service.
This could mean that users with a fast internet connection at home could download or stream music to an iOS device in 24-bit/96kHz high definition, for example, while lower quality might be used for streaming over 3G while out and about, to avoid using excessive mobile internet bandwidth.
Such a system would adjust itself to the bandwidth and storage available on the receiving device.
If the rumours are to be believed, Apple may use the new audio file type to upgrade its iTunes Match service. An announcement could be made on March 7th, when the company is widely expected to unveil the iPad 3.
According to The Guardian, a source "with inside knowledge of the process" says Apple has asked a London studio to prepare audio files for a new streaming format that will automatically adapt to bandwidth or hardware capabilities.
"All of a sudden, all your audio from iTunes is in HD rather than AAC. Users wouldn't have to touch a thing – their library will improve in an instant," a source told The Guardian.
Earlier this year, Neil Young was reported as saying that since the death of Apple founder Steve Jobs, the company had gone back on its commitment to improve the quality of songs it sells on iTunes.
Follow whathifi.com on Twitter
Comments
Yep and even after reading all those files and starting up the itunes master tools theres still no info on quality of recording,
Well 4G will soon be up and running within the next few years ( fingers crossed ) and no one will have bandwidth problems
Which is why the story uses the conditional tense 'could', landzw. But if you read the rest of The Guardian article there are some interesting pointers:
"Apple has released a set of guidelines for mastering to iTunes, which hints at the potential for interplay between iCloud and iOS devices: 'As technology advances and bandwidth, storage, battery life, and processor power increase, keeping the highest quality masters available in our systems allows for full advantage of future improvements to your music," says the guide. 'These masters matter – especially given the move into the cloud on post-PC devices.'"
i'm not sure who wrote this for what hifi but nothing i have seen suggesting its going to be 24/96khz or even in HD, this is another case of over hyping an Apple product before it lauches.
No one know's the size or format of music file but it has been pretty much comfirmed that you will be able to " BUY " your music and then stream your music that you have purchased to other devices and the bandwidth will alter to suit your connection.
Knowing Apple the quality will be improved and new format of music for the more seriously listeners though i bet the size will be still half the size of a normal CD
Didn't Real Audio have this about 10 years back? Still, I'm sure Apple will patent it!
yes, please!
make it at least 16\44 downloadable.
I will take lots.
This is good news, but Apple have never made public any commitment to improve the quality of music on iTunes, so the previous article was a bit misleading with it's headline.