Audiophiles might want to stay away from Apple Music as it is reported to stream at 256kbps AAC. The industry standard is 320kbps MP3 , which is actually slightly worse than Apple Music’s quality. While Apple’s music service may seem outdated due to the numbers , 256kbps AAC is actually better for music streaming than 320kbps MP3. AAC is the “successor” to MP3 and has increased efficiency and improved encoding. For most people , 256kbps AAC is roughly equal to 320kbps MP3. Apple’s choice of 256kbps AAC also allows for less data to be used per song. Unfortunately, Apple Music doesn’t offer a higher 320kbps AAC option or lossless option.
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