Why no Apt-x on iPads or iPhones ?

[Moonloop]

I've been using Sennheiser headphones with Mac Mini and the sound's terrific . Just curious why Apt-x codec is not available on iPads or iPhones enabling better mobile sound ??

Any one got any ideas ?

~~M~~

 

[Menneisyys2]

I've been using Sennheiser headphones with Mac Mini and the sound's terrific . Just curious why Apt-x codec is not available on iPads or iPhones enabling better mobile sound ??

Any one got any ideas ?

~~M~~

Because Apple is known to lag behind the competitors WRT incorporating new technology into their products, particularly their iOS ones (the desktop Macs have been supporting Aptx since 2012). 4K video, stereo audio while shooting video, OIS etc. - you name it. This is why AptX isn't supported either, while many other handsets (Samsung, HTC etc.) have been supporting it for at least a year.

Currently, your only choice is going the external Aptx tansmitter way - like that of Kokkia (see https://discussions.apple.com/thread/4296404 for more info). Back to the world of A2DP dongles - Apple was also pretty slow to implement A2DP either, back in the day...

 

[Moonloop]

Apt-x

Thanks , very interesting . I actually have one of those Sennheiser dongles ( used it on the Mac Mini ) so I suppose with the aid of a USB to Lightening adaptor it could work but its hardly a very elegant solution for an iPhone ?

Apple do so many things brilliantly that when something relatively easy comes along and they don't it really lets them down .

~M~

 

[charlituna]

I've been using Sennheiser headphones with Mac Mini and the sound's terrific . Just curious why Apt-x codec is not available on iPads or iPhones enabling better mobile sound ??

Any one got any ideas ?

~~M~~

Its my understanding that aptx is something of a proprietary codec. It's not used by all companies or even all lines within companies. So that could be part of the issue. The other might be licensing costs.

Apple is loathe to spend a lot to license something that isn't universally supported or even widely supported. Particularly when it isn't necessary for the vast majority of folks.

 

[Moonloop]

Apt-x

Hi ,
Apple are already a licensee as apt-x is on most of their computers of the last 2-3 years . It would be noticeably better sound quality than other formats so it just seems strange to me . Similar to their use of HD picture and Lossy Sound on iTunes .

Must try harder

M

 

[Menel]

I've been using Sennheiser headphones with Mac Mini and the sound's terrific . Just curious why Apt-x codec is not available on iPads or iPhones enabling better mobile sound ??

Any one got any ideas ?

~~M~~

Because it's a crap codec. It's only moderately better than SBC, and has licensing requirements, and limited hardware support.

AptX codec still requires lossy-lossy transcodes.

Apple is forced to support the SBC baseline for Bluetooth A2DP compliance.

Apple offers high quality AAC transmission over Bluetooth/A2DP if you are interested in high quality audio.

e.g.: http://www.harmankardon.com/estore/...HARKAR-BT_HK_US&searchMode=regularProductOnly"

• AAC and apt-X wireless coding"

 

[Moonloop]

Because it's a crap codec. It's only moderately better than SBC, and has licensing requirements, and limited

Well, it doesn't sound crap to my ears and on my headphones ( Sennheiser ) if it's so poor why have Apple allowed it near my 2012 Mac Mini ? They already license it . I don't find listening conditions ideal when travelling but still like to hear some quality . They can save the super duper codecs for home listening on the Mini .

M

 

[Curun]

Well, it doesn't sound crap to my ears and on my headphones ( Sennheiser ) if it's so poor why have Apple allowed it near my 2012 Mac Mini ? They already license it . I don't find listening conditions ideal when travelling but still like to hear some quality . They can save the super duper codecs for home listening on the Mini .

M

The Senheisers don't sound like they support high quality audio, or you wouldn't be complaining. It seems like thats what this thread is about.

Why? Battery life? CPU overhead? There is no dedicated decode hardware in ARM for AptX. Or maybe they simply didn't want to.

It would be atypical for Apple to implement mediocre technologies; especially when they've already implemented superior versions. It's neither their fault that Sennheiser sold you crap, nor is it their responsibility to fix Sennheisers' mediocrity.

Menel linked some Harmon Kardon headphones that support AAC. They should sound great from your iPhone without needlessly re-compressing the audio.

There's others on google. http://www.bhphotovideo.com/indepth...ws/holiday-2012-bluetooth-wireless-headphones
Shows some Denon and Beats brand headsets that support AAC.

 

[Moonloop]

apt-x

Firstly , I am not complaining so that is NOT what this thread is about , I asked a question , try actually reading the post .

Amongst many others , that ' mediocre codec 'is licensed by Sony , LG , Panasonic , Htc , Samsung , Arcam , Creative and , er
...Apple to name just a few . Even the Harmon Kardon headphones which were referred to earlier are licensed , and while they
do indeed carry the lossy AAC codec , they also carry Apt-X !

As for implementing ' superior versions ' maybe Apple should have considered adopting the free 'FLAC' codec for completeness ?
Or is that ' mediocre' too ?

~M~

My headphones : http://tinyurl.com/Sennheiser-550x-Phones

 

[MarcoCapa]

I also have mm 550x but with 5s no support for aptx and lossless...
iPhone 6 with aptx and sd card for music would be a great add , but I suppose that is very unlikely....
Aptx from what I know is the only "codec" for bluetooth to support lossless transmission.... aac is worse than lossless this is for sure...
Maybe Apple could realese a revamped ipod classic with aptx.... or maybe we should get a note 3 with 64gb of lossless music!!!
Only if I can switch! I'm really addicted to productivity on iPhone!!!

 

[Menneisyys2]

As for implementing ' superior versions ' maybe Apple should have considered adopting the free 'FLAC' codec for completeness ?
Or is that ' mediocre' too ?

For Apple fans, everything NOT implemented by Apple is cr@ppy / mediocre / useless.

 

[Stratus Fear]

I've been using Sennheiser headphones with Mac Mini and the sound's terrific . Just curious why Apt-x codec is not available on iPads or iPhones enabling better mobile sound ??

Any one got any ideas ?

~~M~~

Because for most things on an iPhone or iPad, the device is still going to have to transcode from AAC or MP3, so apt-x at best is going to have no better sound quality than either of those codecs after transcoding. To be honest, since you're doing a lossy-lossy transcode, it's probably going to be worse. The best situation is to have an A2DP device that supports AAC, as no decoding would be require on the iOS device itself, so there'd be no transcoding at all.

 

[Moonloop]

Apt x

Hi ,
I listen in Apple Lossless to music split between iPhone and iPad so it would be nice to 'Blutooth' lossless sounds with Apt-x . It seems worthy of experiment to me anyway . Maybe it'll be a new feature in iOS 8 or something ?

M

 

[Stratus Fear]

Hi ,
I listen in Apple Lossless to music split between iPhone and iPad so it would be nice to 'Blutooth' lossless sounds with Apt-x . It seems worthy of experiment to me anyway . Maybe it'll be a new feature in iOS 8 or something ?

M

Ah, that is the one case where it would be good to have the codec. Now if Apple would just freaking release a 128GB iPhone :/

 

[Moonloop]

apt-x

⬆︎ I feel your pain That's why I love listening to music on my 128gb iPad4
It would be nice to match up with iPhone

~M~