One reader notes that at least one iTunes Music Store song is being offered at a much higher encoding rate than Apple has publicly advertised.
The majority of iTunes Music Store songs come in 128kbit Protected AAC audio file format. This file format allows for playback in iTunes as well as the iPod. The 128k bit-rate in AAC is said to provide a superior quality to the equivalent MP3 bitrate.
Snap!'s 3 min 42 second Rhythm Is a Dancer (Original Mix), however, comes in at 290kbits encoding (screenshot) on the iTunes Music Store. The file is reported to be encoded with "FAAC 1.24+ (May 7 200...)"
Individual publishers utilize iTunes Producer, an encoding/submitting application which reportedly converts songs to the proper format (128kbit AAC) without any additional options. Whether or not larger labels or Apple themselves have more freedom in encoding options is unknown.
This file may simply be an anomaly, but there have been scattered reports of other songs also offering higher encoding. There does not appear to be any way to distinguish these files before purchasing them.
Wednesday December 11, 2024 5:23 am PST by Joe Rossignol
Apple has announced that iOS 18.2, iPadOS 18.2, and macOS Sequoia 15.2 will be released today following more than six weeks of beta testing.
For the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 models, the update introduces additional Apple Intelligence features, including Genmoji for creating custom emoji, Image Playground and Image Wand for generating images, and ChatGPT integration for Siri. There is also ...
Thursday December 12, 2024 4:36 am PST by Tim Hardwick
Next year's iPhone 17 Pro models will reportedly feature a major redesign, specifically centering around changes to the rear camera module, and now new supply chain information appears to confirm the striking change, according to a Chinese leaker.
iPhone 17 Pro concept render
Late last month, The Information's Wayne Ma claimed that the rear of the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro...
Developers now have access to cloud-based M4 and M4 Pro Mac mini units via MacWeb, a Silicon Valley-based provider of cloud services.
The company has launched three configurations of the new Mac mini, powered by Apple's M4 and M4 Pro chips. Developers and IT teams can rent these machines for tasks ranging from basic development to advanced artificial intelligence modeling, providing an...
Wednesday December 11, 2024 10:02 am PST by Juli Clover
Apple today released macOS Sequoia 15.2, the second update to the macOS Sequoia operating system that was released in September. macOS Sequoia 15.2 comes over a month after the release of macOS Sequoia 15.1.
Mac users can download the macOS Sequoia update through the Software Update section of System Settings.
macOS Sequoia 15.2 adds Image Playground, an app that lets you create...
Wednesday December 11, 2024 10:54 am PST by Juli Clover
Apple today made a mistake with its macOS Sequoia 15.2 update, releasing the software for two Macs that have yet to be launched. There is a software file for "Mac16,12" and "Mac16,13," which are upcoming MacBook Air models.
The leaked software references the "MacBook Air (13-inch, M4, 2025)" and the "MacBook Air (15-inch, M4, 2025)," confirming that new M4 MacBook Air models are in...
Wednesday December 11, 2024 10:03 am PST by Juli Clover
Apple today released iOS 18.2 and iPadOS 18.2, the second major updates to the iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 updates that came out in September. The new updates come over a month after Apple released iOS 18.1 and iPadOS 18.1.
Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos.
The new software can be downloaded on eligible iPhones and iPads over-the-air by going to Settings > General >...
Monday December 9, 2024 10:06 am PST by Juli Clover
Apple today seeded the second release candidate versions of upcoming iOS 18.2, iPadOS 18.2, and macOS 15.2 updates to developers and public beta testers for testing purposes, a week after releasing the first RCs. The first iOS 18.2 RC had a build number of 22C150, while the second RC's build number is 22C151. Release candidates represent the final version of beta software that's expected to see a ...
