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Apple is working on a new digital music format

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Re: Apple is working on a new digital music format

#11

Post by rustynails »

Nicholas_C wrote: post #4
higherpurpose wrote: post #2

If it's going to be a proprietary DRM-locked file format - just don't bother, Apple.

I would bet money that it will be.

Some potential ideas - pay per listen, local cache - embedded lyrics, photos - extra sound bytes (exclusive to track owners) - optional videos - asynchronous Comms with the band: FAQs. News, interviews, etc

There are many things you can do that link purchased content with other content. Adding lyrics that appear in realtime would also be handy.

My ideas are now patented. Pay me 5% of all future sales please... Isn't that how patents work? State the obvious and rake in cash for doing very little?

Re: Apple is working on a new digital music format

#12

Post by stephenr »

higherpurpose wrote: post #2

If it's going to be a proprietary DRM-locked file format - just don't bother, Apple.

Why would it be? iTunes tracks started transitioning to DRM-free 7 years ago - as far as I can see from some quick research they were one of if not the first music store offering DRM free music from any of the major labels, and absolutely gave immense weight to the DRM-free push before many of the current competing services even existed.

So, if your comment is going to follow the typical apple bashing, history ignoring model, just don't bother.

Re: Apple is working on a new digital music format

#14

Post by potatolicious »

higherpurpose wrote: post #2

If it's going to be a proprietary DRM-locked file format - just don't bother, Apple.

Not to mention sales of music downloads are tanking through the floor. Consumption is predominantly streaming now, and that's the way people like it.

I simply don't see any static, local file format succeeding regardless of DRM-encumbrance. It's simply less useful to mainstream users than the streaming equivalent.

The battle isn't about which format your files should be in, it's about whether or not you have any files at all.

Re: Apple is working on a new digital music format

#15

Post by dagw »

SideburnsOfDoom wrote: post #8
higherpurpose wrote: post #2

If it's going to be a proprietary DRM-locked file format - just don't bother, Apple.

That and/or "high definition", "above CD quality" digital audio. There's a lot of noise in the digital music industry about high quality audio at present. U2 may be following in Neil Young's PONO footsteps. There may be doubt whether high quality audio can deliver what it promises - i.e. an improvement over MP3 320 that is noticeable to normal people's ears. But the Pono kickstarter proves beyond any doubt that there…

The recording industry have tried the "above CD quality" thing to get people to re-buy their music several times before. Each time it flopped, and I fail to see why this time will be different.

Re: Apple is working on a new digital music format

#16

Post by drivingmenuts »

stevekl wrote: post #7

Great, another proprietary format. While I want everything to be open and interoperable, I personally work in a startup that aims to make profit. So I also understand the commercial reasons of proprietary technologies. So, I am torn, what should be proprietary and what should be open?

Open: anything required to survive. Prop: anything optional to survive.

Re: Apple is working on a new digital music format

#18

Post by dandelany »

Here's something I've always wanted: A consumer music file format that preserves all of the underlying tracks ('stems') so that they can be adjusted while you listen to the song.

Imagine listening to a recording and going "ooh, that bassline", and then turning up the bassist and turning down everything else to hear it better. Or easily "remixing" while you listen by eg. applying a filter to only the drums. You could even save presets to listen to "your" mix of the song again. Maybe this only appeals to hardcore music fans, but I know it's something I'd love to play with.

Of course it would have to be supported by major user-friendly software like iTunes, and would have to implement a nice interface for interacting with a tracks. But I've always thought Apple was very well positioned to take this on, if they wanted to.

Re: Apple is working on a new digital music format

#20

Post by dubcanada »

dandelany wrote: post #18

Here's something I've always wanted: A consumer music file format that preserves all of the underlying tracks ('stems') so that they can be adjusted while you listen to the song. Imagine listening to a recording and going "ooh, that bassline", and then turning up the bassist and turning down everything else to hear it better. Or easily "remixing" while you listen by eg. applying a filter to only the drums. You could…

That would be awesome...
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