Apple recently announced that its Apple Music streaming service would be giving its users access to lossless and spatial audio in June. Those who subscribe to the service will get these features without needing to pay more money.
According to Mashable, Apple said its lossless format starts at 16 bit at 44.1kHz and goes all the way up to 24 bit at 192kHz. Users will be able to choose their preferred quality level in the Apple Music app's settings when this feature rolls out.
Lossless audio is probably the bigger feature of the two, especially for audiophiles. For those who are unfamiliar, turning songs into MP3s or other common audio formats usually leads to a reduction in sound quality.
Not every part of a recording is essential for basic listenability, so corners are cut to make sure file sizes aren't massive. As it can be guessed from its name, lossless audio gives you an uncompromised version of a song, closer to what was heard in the recording studio.
Spatial audio is a little more self-explanatory. Artists can make their music sound like it's happening all around the listener, as long as they're using new AirPods or Beats headphones or the most recent iterations of iPads, Macs, and iPhones. This is courtesy of Dolby Atmos, a high-tech surround-sound format that you can find everywhere from movie theaters to home audio equipment.
Assuming lossless and spatial audio deliver on those promises, Apple can claim victory over Spotify and Tidal on price alone.
As per Mashable, the USD 9.99 monthly fee won't increase, unlike Spotify's upcoming HiFi plan, which doesn't have a confirmed price yet, and Tidal's existing USD 19.99 monthly lossless plan.
( With inputs from ANI )
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