By Andrew Liszewski
When the MP3 file format was created it came at just the right time to be small enough for PC users to amass large collections while still providing audio quality comparable to a CD. And since computer storage has grown by leaps and bounds over the years there hasn’t really been the need to improve upon the way MP3s are compressed.
However US software company Beatnik, which was founded by Thomas Dolby has developed a new audio file format that can reduce the size of a song up to ten times more than the MP3 format can. The new format finds parts of the song that occur more than once and only stores a single copy of that part in the file. Then when the song is being played back those parts are loaded on the fly and seamlessly integrated back into the music.
The new format was specifically created for the mobile phone market where over-the-air track delivery is becoming more and more popular. The smaller file sizes allow for a quicker delivery and of course less bandwidth charges. Just don’t expect iTunes to be switching over to the new format anytime soon and I guarantee there are ‘audiophiles’ already turning their noses up at it.
[ Beatnik announces New Digital Music Format for Faster Downloads ] VIA [ Phone Scoop ]