The world of audiophiles and Apple snobs have finally met now that the iPhone is the perfect phone for audiophiles.
iPhone is Now The Perfect Phone for Audiophiles
All thanks to the new Files app feature, iPhone 8 and X will be able to hold and play FLAC (Free Lossless Audio codec) files. These files, which are normally compressed versions of WAV files, are able to cut down the size to about 50 percent without negatiely affecting the audio quality, as often the case with MP3s. In fact, as Digital Trends explains, “MP3 only takes up a few megabytes of space, but it is a ‘lossy’ file, and dumps up to 90 percent of the original file via compression when it’s created.” The new Files app, found on iPhone 8 and X, accessibility and playback are rather seamless. Previously, audiophiles went through lengthy conversion processes to convert FLAC files to Apple’s Lossless Audio Codec (ALAC) file. Consider that method a “thing of the past” if you plan on investing in a new Apple phone.
iPhone 7 users will also have the ability to store and listen to FLAC-encoded files once they’ve updated their device to iOS 11. If you’ve got iPhone 6 Plus or below, you’re most likely S.O.L. for now.
Apple’s Audio Playback section under Tech Specs clearly outlines the types of files supported on iPhone 7, 8, and X to include: FLAC, Apple Lossless, AAC, Dolby Digital, MP3, and more.
The iOS 11 update is already available for iPhones while pre-orders are currently available for iPhone 8 and X. Those phones will officially retail October 27 and ship November 3.
If you do or do not think the iPhone is the best phone for audiophiles, tell us why or why not below. We’d love to hear your thoughts.
