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Apple Adds Support For FLAC Lossless Audio In iOS 11 (thenextweb.com)
Reddit users who have installed copies of the developer beta of iOS 11 are reporting that Apple has finally added support for lossless FLAC audio files in their new mobile operating system. The Next Web reports: The functionality was first spotted on an iPhone 6S Plus running iOS 11 Beta 1 and is reportedly available as part of the newly announced file-management app, Files. Up until now, Apple had deliberately opted to ignore offering playback support for FLAC files in both iTunes and iOS -- though there are numerous third-party apps to do the trick. But it appears things are finally about to change.
When connected to an appropriate DAC or headphone connector, the lightning connector delivers raw uncompressed digital audio. You're not just limited to Bluetooth. Also, IIRC, airplay will generally deliver the audio in its native format over wireless, so there's that as well.
...si hoc legere nimium eruditionis habes...
All new iPhones will have to deal bluetooth compression anyway. Maybe I am simply ignorant
You're simply ignorant ;)
The (included) headphone dongle moved the DAC and amplifier outside of the phone case - but it's still there (and necessary). So you can still get uncompressed audio that way.
You can also connect the phone via USB to most DAC devices and play the raw bitstream directly. I do that in both of my cars, and have something similar for my HiFi system at home.
-- Sometimes you have to turn the lights off in order to see.
Apple's OSes also don't properly handle the Matroska container by default. Matroska is used a lot in modern multimedia (including a limited subset of the Matroska container used for years in WebM). I think that Apple's choices help render Apple's OSes as also-rans and I wouldn't be surprised if this is based in Apple's preference for patent-encumbered stuff to which Apple is a licensee or beneficiary.
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