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> There are lossy compression standards like MP3, and Apple's own Advanced Audio Codec (AAC), which result in some data loss. While Apple popularized usage of

> There are lossy compression standards like MP3, and Apple's own Advanced Audio Codec (AAC), which result in some data loss. While Apple popularized usage of AAC, I think it's disingenuous to say that it's "Apple's own" format. Wasn't it developed by MPEG, and therefore, was an industry collaboration? Maybe it's because I've never been an Apple fan, but am I alone in thinking this?

ksec 2y ago
Macrumors has never been good or accurate with technology reporting.
Analemma_ 2y ago
It is an industry standard, in the sense that there are published standards for it and it was developed by an industry consortium, but in practice it never got traction outside Apple and they are essentially the only one who uses it. This happens sometimes: FireWire was an IEEE standard too but Apple and Sony were pretty much the only users. I don’t think it’s too misleading to refer to it as a de facto Apple-only technology.
- Scaevolus 2y ago
  What? AAC is one of the most common codecs used for streaming audio on the internet, Opus being the other common one. It's not exclusive to Apple at all.
- skyyler 2y ago
  >in practice it never got traction outside Apple and they are essentially the only one who uses it Are you thinking of ALAC? What you're saying is true, if you're talking about ALAC. ALAC is Apple's lossless codec. AAC is a lossy codec and is unrelated to ALAC. AAC is an industry standard. It's in the Nintendo DSi and 3DS handhelds. Heck, according to wikipedia, the Nokia S40 series of phones supports it.
- atoav 2y ago
  You are aware that 99% of the video mp4 containers you ever watched use AAC for the audio stream? Maybe Apple is one of the few who use AAC for audio-only purposes, but as a technology AACs predominant use is in video (as a percentage of marketshare). And because literally everything can play MP4s, as such they can also play AAC.
lxgr 2y ago
AAC was indeed developed primarily by Fraunhofer IIS, which also developed MP3. Apple definitely was one of the earliest adopters with their iPod line, though, and arguably helped make it mainstream. I do appreciate that they picked an industry standard (patent-encumbered, though) instead of coming up with their own secret sauce, though. Not sure they'd still do the same today.
- matthewdgreen 2y ago
  Everything was patent encumbered to some extent, it was just a question of how you read the patents. I worked at AT&T Labs in the early days (they were also some of the inventors) and I remember being invited to Sony Music studios in Japan around 1999/2000, where the head of their studio business let us do a “dance off” between AAC and the proprietary Sony ATRAC3 codec at similar bitrates. Using AAC was a pretty obvious win vs. most of the alternatives out there around the time iTunes launched.
- ksec 2y ago
  AAC-LC has been patent free for at least 6 years already if not longer. Unfortunately the best AAC-LC encoder is from Apple and it is not open source. But everyone can still freely use it though.

ksec 2y ago

Macrumors has never been good or accurate with technology reporting.

Analemma_ 2y ago

It is an industry standard, in the sense that there are published standards for it and it was developed by an industry consortium, but in practice it never got traction outside Apple and they are essentially the only one who uses it. This happens sometimes: FireWire was an IEEE standard too but Apple and Sony were pretty much the only users. I don’t think it’s too misleading to refer to it as a de facto Apple-only technology.

Scaevolus 2y ago
What? AAC is one of the most common codecs used for streaming audio on the internet, Opus being the other common one. It's not exclusive to Apple at all.
skyyler 2y ago
>in practice it never got traction outside Apple and they are essentially the only one who uses it Are you thinking of ALAC? What you're saying is true, if you're talking about ALAC. ALAC is Apple's lossless codec. AAC is a lossy codec and is unrelated to ALAC. AAC is an industry standard. It's in the Nintendo DSi and 3DS handhelds. Heck, according to wikipedia, the Nokia S40 series of phones supports it.
atoav 2y ago
You are aware that 99% of the video mp4 containers you ever watched use AAC for the audio stream? Maybe Apple is one of the few who use AAC for audio-only purposes, but as a technology AACs predominant use is in video (as a percentage of marketshare). And because literally everything can play MP4s, as such they can also play AAC.

lxgr 2y ago

AAC was indeed developed primarily by Fraunhofer IIS, which also developed MP3. Apple definitely was one of the earliest adopters with their iPod line, though, and arguably helped make it mainstream. I do appreciate that they picked an industry standard (patent-encumbered, though) instead of coming up with their own secret sauce, though. Not sure they'd still do the same today.

matthewdgreen 2y ago
Everything was patent encumbered to some extent, it was just a question of how you read the patents. I worked at AT&T Labs in the early days (they were also some of the inventors) and I remember being invited to Sony Music studios in Japan around 1999/2000, where the head of their studio business let us do a “dance off” between AAC and the proprietary Sony ATRAC3 codec at similar bitrates. Using AAC was a pretty obvious win vs. most of the alternatives out there around the time iTunes launched.
ksec 2y ago
AAC-LC has been patent free for at least 6 years already if not longer. Unfortunately the best AAC-LC encoder is from Apple and it is not open source. But everyone can still freely use it though.