Rumor: Apple developing higher-quality audio file format for use in 2016

You can’t knock an upgraded sound file.

Apple is rumored to be working on a higher-quality audio streaming file format for use in 2016 and beyond. Anonymous sources at the Portable Audio Festival in Tokyo cited that the company has been developing Hi-Res Audio streaming up to 96kHz/24bit in 2016.

Quoted from the festival:

“The Lightning terminal with iOS 9 is compatible up to 192kHz/24Bit, but we do not have information on the sampling frequency of Apple Music download music.”

The report also claims many audio equipment manufacturers are preparing their own third-party Lightning cables in anticipation of Apple’s move toward improved audio quality.

Apple has been rumored to be looking into developing a higher-quality audio format for use with iTunes Store downloads and perhaps also Apple Music streaming. A year and a half ago, music blogger Robert Hutton claimed Apple was working to roll out high-resolution audio for the iTunes Store and it was rumored that Apple was working on an HD Audio format and new hardware being planned for release alongside iOS 8 later that year.

Additional rumors from 2012 claimed that singer Neil Young revealed that he and Steve Jobs had discussed ideas for improving the audio quality of iTunes Store content. Young ultimately went on his own in an effort to increase the quality digital music, releasing his PonoPlayer in early 2014.

Stay tuned for additional details as they become available.

Via MacRumors and Mac Otakara