Hi Res iTunes coming soon?

[JonMarsh]

http://www.macrumors.com/2014/04/10/high-definition-itunes-music-downloads/

Apple may also be planning to add high resolution audio downloads to iTunes as part of the revamp, allowing users to download lossless 24-bit audio files. According to music blogger Robert Hutton, who cites an unspecified source, Apple is going to roll out hi-res iTunes music downloads in early June, possibly at WWDC.

For several years, Apple have been insisting that labels provide files for iTunes in 24 bit format - preferably 96k or 192k sampling rate. So they have undeniably the biggest catalog of hi-res audio in the world.

And the Led Zeppelin remasters in high resolution will be the kick off event - to coincide with Led Zep in hi-res, Apple will flip the switch and launch their hi-res store via iTunes - and apparently, it will be priced a buck above the typical current file prices.

That's right - Apple will launch hi-res iTunes in two months.

Apple has been working on offering music in a 24-bit format for several years, with a 2011 report suggesting the company was in talks with record labels to increase the quality of iTunes Music. Currently, Apple sells audio files on iTunes in 16-bit lossy AAC format encoded at 256 kbps to minimize file size.

High-definition 24-bit downloads are said to offer better detail, greater depth, and a deeper bass response compared to traditional 16-bit music downloads, but the file sizes are much larger.

Thoughts and comments, anyone? Could be an interesting, if overdue, development.

[r100gs]

It's about time.

[Hdale85]

Idk, I think their normal prices are kind of high? So now it's going to be twice as much for a hi-res file? I guess if you only limit it to special albums or something. But if you get an album that has close to 20 songs even at a dollar a piece it's an expensive album, at $2 a piece it's 40 bucks nearly?

[Chris D]

I am ALL for iTunes getting on-board with hi-res audio. About time. :T:T:T:T I just hope they don't price themselves out of making it worthwhile for consumers. Like Dougie said, if they price it high, nobody will download and it'll seem like demand is low.

[Ovation]

This is welcome news if true.

[mjb]

I've weened myself off iTunes, because its evolved into a bloated mess of iPad/pod/phone syncing and backup software - that, and Apple not supporting HiRes. However, Apple have all the right pieces in place, if they would only change their policy and sell 16/44 (or better). The iTunes 11 update was a major disappointment for me, hopefully they will fix things.

[JonMarsh]

The rumor article mentioned only $1 or $2 premium per album, but then, it's just a rumor article. Hard to guess what they'll actually do, but I'd love it if they undercut HDTracks. well, love it from an end consumer viewpoint; I'm glad HDTracks has existed and helped pioneer this, but I'm not wildly fond of paying $25 bucks per album. I wonder how that money is actually divvied up, and how much goes to the artist?

[Hdale85]

Seems like it was saying 1 dollar more than the regular file, which I believe the regular files are 99 cents? Unless the price went up. So that's 1.99 per track.

[Dmantis]

This is very welcome news.
I have been into High Rez Music for quite some time now and would love for iTunes to be able to actually play it. I have to use a 3rd party software in order to pull it off called Pure Music. I have to have 2 copies of everything if I want to listen to the same albums on my iPhone , iPhone etc.

[Ovation]

Would be outstanding if it allowed iTunes to play back FLAC as seamlessly as it does other non-proprietary Apple formats. There are a number of FLAC downloads out there that are reasonably priced but not iTunes compatible. Probably won't happen though. (Best case would be if it included DSD download playback--but I won't hold my breath).

As to the price increase, the article is unclear. I suspect it will be 1$ extra per title but perhaps only 10-20% more for a complete album. I have a number of iTunes singles that cost 99 cents (or 1.29$--Canadian prices are a bit higher on most, though not all, singles) and when I log in, I'm offered the opportunity to "complete my album". In many, many cases, the average cost of all the tracks if I complete the album would come to well below 99 cents. If Apple wanted to kickstart this hi-res effort, it should offer a free (highly unlikely) or heavily discounted (perhaps possible) upgrade price for those tracks people already have.

[Chris D]

That'd be a good move, Ovation, so all of us wouldn't have to totally repurchase the music we already bought from iTunes.

[Johnloudb]

Yeah, I agree, that would be smart move by Apple, Ovation!

I just hope the rumor is true. I read reports that Apple is bringing out an iPhone 6 in the Fall, with a bigger screen ... and can playback high res music???? Time will tell ...

[Chris D]

We (the public) are definitely getting the iPhone 6 in the fall. I think there's a good chance it'll have a bigger screen, but not for sure. Same with going up to 128GB memory max. I haven't upgraded since my iPhone 4s, and will be eyeing the iPhone 6 hard.

[Ovation]

I've still got my iPhone 4 (first and only "smartphone" for me) and I'm doing my best to hold out for the iPhone 6 (mostly for the bigger memory that I hope will be there, especially if I'm going to be loading lossless hi-res audio). If they go to hi-res 24bit audio, there is a potential bottleneck at the Airport Express and AppleTV ends--as far as I know, the Express is 16/44.1 while the AppleTV is 16/48 (which makes the Express the better choice for audio as it does not require the awkward conversion of 44.1 to 48 that the AppleTV does). If they can be upgraded via firmware to carry hi-res audio, that'll be great (but I wouldn't bet on it). Otherwise, people will have to connect their computers directly to their receivers/pre-amps via a hi-res capable DAC. This would not necessarily be difficult to do, or overly pricey, but it will reduce the convenience factor of streaming considerably.

[aarsoe]

Would love for Apple to get high res but think people are overlooking one important aspect namely that Apple have no hardware that can handle high res.
So unless a new Apple TV is launched and there is a simultaneous announcement of support on future products I don't see it happening. Even so only having one unit that can do playback is still very thin unless they will position their mac line as the best way to do playback but that does not match what they have done until now..

[Chris D]

Yeah, I tried putting hi-res MP3's on my iPod, but didn't work.

Good point.

[RPAudio1]

I've put higher resolution files on my iPhone- 16 bit waves. Shouldn't be hard for them to do 24 bit files, but they'll need a better DAC.
I have a feeling that people targeted by the high res files will play from their computer anyways, which iTunes can easily do with Amarra. Then you'd just use your iphone as a remote to control iTunes...

Time will tell!