HomePod family will support Apple Music Lossless eventually
The HomePod and HomePod mini won't play Apple Music Lossless audio at launch, but will at a later time, according to a support page update providing details on the streaming music feature's functionality.
The HomePod mini (left) and the HomePod
Apple's unveiling of Apple Music Lossless and Spatial audio on Monday, a feature that will provide high-fidelity versions of tracks to subscribers instead of the standard-bitrate versions streamed as standard. To clarify some of the questions surrounding the support of its own products, Apple updated a support page on Saturday to offer more insight.
The frequently asked questions section on the "About lossless audio in Apple Music" page mentions that neither the HomePod nor HomePod mini will work with Lossless at launch. According to the page, the two smart speakers "currently use AAC to ensure excellent audio quality."
However, while neither speaker will play the high-bitrate feeds at the start, Apple says "support for lossless is coming in a future software update."
Apple also provides a little bit of clarity on the AirPods Max situation. While it was confirmed at launch that the AirPods Max won't support Apple Music Lossless over Lightning, Apple explains it's down to how the connection works.
In its explanation, Apple says the Lightning to 3.5mm Audio Cable was designed to allow AirPods Max to "connect to analog sources for listening to movies and music." While AirPods Max can be connected to devices playing Lossless and Hi-Res Lossless recordings and enjoy "exceptional audio quality" in this way, the analog-to-digital conversion in the cable means "the playback will not be completely lossless."
Previously, it was found that Android users will be able to enjoy Apple Music Lossless, but not Spatial audio. Though AirPods naturally don't have the capability to use Lossless over wireless connections, Apple is said to be developing its own proprietary high-fidelity audio format to enable the feature.
Stay on top of all Apple news right from your HomePod. Say, "Hey, Siri, play AppleInsider," and you'll get latest AppleInsider Podcast. Or ask your HomePod mini for "AppleInsider Daily" instead and you'll hear a fast update direct from our news team. And, if you're interested in Apple-centric home automation, say "Hey, Siri, play HomeKit Insider," and you'll be listening to our newest specialized podcast in moments.
The HomePod mini (left) and the HomePod
Apple's unveiling of Apple Music Lossless and Spatial audio on Monday, a feature that will provide high-fidelity versions of tracks to subscribers instead of the standard-bitrate versions streamed as standard. To clarify some of the questions surrounding the support of its own products, Apple updated a support page on Saturday to offer more insight.
The frequently asked questions section on the "About lossless audio in Apple Music" page mentions that neither the HomePod nor HomePod mini will work with Lossless at launch. According to the page, the two smart speakers "currently use AAC to ensure excellent audio quality."
However, while neither speaker will play the high-bitrate feeds at the start, Apple says "support for lossless is coming in a future software update."
Apple also provides a little bit of clarity on the AirPods Max situation. While it was confirmed at launch that the AirPods Max won't support Apple Music Lossless over Lightning, Apple explains it's down to how the connection works.
In its explanation, Apple says the Lightning to 3.5mm Audio Cable was designed to allow AirPods Max to "connect to analog sources for listening to movies and music." While AirPods Max can be connected to devices playing Lossless and Hi-Res Lossless recordings and enjoy "exceptional audio quality" in this way, the analog-to-digital conversion in the cable means "the playback will not be completely lossless."
Previously, it was found that Android users will be able to enjoy Apple Music Lossless, but not Spatial audio. Though AirPods naturally don't have the capability to use Lossless over wireless connections, Apple is said to be developing its own proprietary high-fidelity audio format to enable the feature.
Stay on top of all Apple news right from your HomePod. Say, "Hey, Siri, play AppleInsider," and you'll get latest AppleInsider Podcast. Or ask your HomePod mini for "AppleInsider Daily" instead and you'll hear a fast update direct from our news team. And, if you're interested in Apple-centric home automation, say "Hey, Siri, play HomeKit Insider," and you'll be listening to our newest specialized podcast in moments.
Comments
We’ve had lossless for years and didn’t even know it!
Features that should have been baked in from it's initial release.
I appreciate these and completely unexpected after the "discontinued" announcement.
It is almost as if Apple is loading up the original HomePods with these and maybe some additional features if hardware/software capabilities exist, rethinking the original HomePods use cases and ultimately announcing the Homepod Pro with external ports and a price reduction...
Thanks !!
The HomePod having wired in and out audio connections would have made all the difference (future proofed it), a great many more people would have bought the HomePod.
When I bought them, it’s because my existing equipment was far inferior to what Apple offered. So being in the ecosystem, I bought one and little later bought a second. Now, three years later, I’m still enjoying their output. The fact that they may support lossless audio in the near future is just a cherry on the sundae.
Reinforcing the services sector without taking anything away from the wearable/home sector, doesn’t qualify IMO as alienating.
https://www.statista.com/statistics/382260/segments-share-revenue-of-apple/
I get it that many people out there didn't really understand that Bluetooth is the limitation here. They don't understand digital vs analog and what a DAC is and so forth. But once you do understand everything that goes into streaming an audio file and playing it back over the ultimate analog device, your speakers/headphones, you can see that Apple had to make tough decisions. Like not having a true analog input, requiring a fidelity-mangling ADC before any of the "magic" can be done in computational audio, which is all digital.
Apple could have just invented its own standard for wireless music transmission. Of course, they'd be criticized for not using an accepted standard like Bluetooth. There's no escaping criticism no matter what they do. They may actually be working on a new protocol utilizing either the U1 or H1 chips that would augment Bluetooth and make up for its lack of bandwidth, but there will be a limit, barely allowing Lossless but no more, so forget about ever playing back Hi-Res over your current wireless product. Getting full CD-quality would be a nice jump over others, like Sony.
But this move to support Lossless and High-Resolution was completely expected, logical, and welcome by many people who listen to music over external hardware. Not just audiophiles but just about anyone that owns an AV receiver, for example, taking an HDMI input from an Apple TV. I'm sure that Sonos users will also welcome this.
Lastly, you probably wouldn't hear much difference between AAC 256Kbps and Lossless anyway over a HomePod mini or Airpods Pro or most of the Beats phones other than the Beats Pro (wired). Perhaps you could hear an improvement with AirPods Max. But if you really cared about sound quality, you wouldn't be using any of these and instead would have a DAC/Amp and high-quality analog headphones. That would be a night and day improvement. Yes, even if you spent the same money as a pair of AirPods Max headphones.
"Apple could have just invented its own standard for wireless music transmission." => I genuinely think this is what Apple is going to do with a future H1 / W1 chip; develop their own wireless radio or protocol that sits atop Bluetooth. Only "downside" is it will require new hardware. If I'm correct, I don't think the current AirPods Pro or Max can be updated to support Lossless.
A fiasco is something along the line of the launch of the folding Samesung phone, or the launch of the exploding Samesung phones. Those were fiascos. This is nothing such, but don't let ridiculous exaggeration stand in your way of making a Chicken Little characterisation.
As long as the new hardware gets BT/WiFi certification there is no real problem.
Other advantages should include lower latency, more efficient power use and including other hardware features on the chipset.
https://es.gearbest.com/blog/how-to/what-is-huawei-kirin-a1-chip-and-how-powerful-is-it-8529