The first article (How Apple Changed Audio Formatting) discussed how Apple changed audio formatting. This one is much shorter, as it focuses on a related subtopic: audio compression.
Lossless audio, simply put, retains 100% of the original sound data while being compressed. So how does this compression work?
Lossless Audio
Lossless compression works by analyzing the sound data, identifying patterns, and storing those patterns in a more compact form. When the data is uncompressed, the original sound is perfectly restored because all of the patterns are reconstructed exactly, one-to-one. This means the audio remains identical to the original source after compression and decompression. If you're doing things like DJing or listening to audio on high-quality systems that support lossless formats, the benefits of lossless audio are significant. However, there are also advantages to lossy audio, which I’ll cover in the next section.
Common lossless audio file formats include:
- FLAC (Free Lossless Audio Codec)
- ALAC (Apple Lossless Audio Codec)
- WAV (Waveform Audio File Format)
- AIFF (Audio Interchange File Format)
- APE (Monkey's Audio – yes, that’s the funniest one)
- TTA (True Audio)
Lossy Audio
Lossy compression, on the other hand, analyzes the sound data and removes elements that the human ear cannot hear. It then compresses the remaining data in a way similar to lossless methods. When uncompressed, only the audible parts are restored. While this difference is often indistinguishable to most listeners, lossy formats can degrade audio quality—especially if the file is re-mixed or played through a high-fidelity audio system.
Most people won’t notice the difference, which is why lossy formats are widely used. Streaming services like Spotify rely exclusively on lossy audio because it significantly reduces file sizes and bandwidth usage. Additionally, lossless audio cannot be transmitted over Bluetooth, making lossy formats more compatible with wireless audio devices.
Common lossy audio file formats include:
- MP3 (MPEG-1 Audio Layer III)
- AAC (Advanced Audio Coding)
- OGG (Ogg Vorbis)
- WMA (Windows Media Audio)
Final Thoughts (on this subject)
One thing I want to highlight—across both articles—is this: we often overlook the deep innovation we’ve seen from companies like Apple, Microsoft, and others. While we mostly think of them in terms of modern hardware or today’s software, we forget that the architecture they set up 20 to 25 years ago still powers much of the internet and our day-to-day digital lives.
Thank you for taking the time to read this article. I know it was shorter than the first one, but I wanted to make sure I explained these concepts clearly to my audience. I truly appreciate the time you've spent reading this. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out!
-Keshav