FLAC support in iOS 11 - FINALLY

Discussion in 'Audio Hardware' started by MrRom92, Jun 6, 2017.

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  1. MrRom92

    MrRom92 Forum Supermodel Thread Starter

    Location:
    Long Island, NY
    It's a shame because clearly there was some consumer demand for this, seeing as how a number of online news outlets and blogs picked up on this hidden "feature" as soon as news broke. I can only hope that Apple sees the error of their ways and does add FLAC support sooner rather than later, or never.
     
    Gaslight likes this.
  2. MrRom92

    MrRom92 Forum Supermodel Thread Starter

    Location:
    Long Island, NY
    Hey guys.... check out the technical specs





    iPhone - Compare Models



    It's happening!

    Now the question is if this will come to older devices via iOS 11 as well?
     
    LarryP, yamfox, Gaslight and 4 others like this.
  3. Rolltide

    Rolltide Forum Resident

    Location:
    Vallejo, CA
    It seems like it would, its a pure software thing.
     
  4. deadcoldfish

    deadcoldfish Senior Member

    Location:
    Santa Rosa, CA
    have to wait now for the final release of iOS11 on 9/19/17 to confirm, for pre 8 HW.
     
  5. MrRom92

    MrRom92 Forum Supermodel Thread Starter

    Location:
    Long Island, NY
    It would make sense, and maybe they simply didn't update the page yet, but I didn't see FLAC listed as a supported format on the page for the 6S or SE. Which I presume are both getting iOS 11. It did say it was supported on the 7 though, so at least one "older" device is getting it.


    I had some doubts for a while there because it seemed as if Apple removed the functionality from the beta versions of iOS 11... I guess an iTunes update is imminent. They didn't speak of it at all during the keynote, but it would be the only way to load the files now that they are supported. This is honestly the most exciting news for me out of everything that's been announced today!
     
  6. Bender Rodriguez

    Bender Rodriguez RIP Exene, best dog ever. 2005-2016

  7. the.giffer

    the.giffer Forum Resident

    FLAC is in the new Apple TV specs as an accepted audio file format
     
    Galley likes this.
  8. cdash99

    cdash99 Senior Member

    Location:
    Mass
    The next question is whether it is CD quality or if it handles hi-res files. No MQA though, not that it plays any part in my buying decision.
     
    Bender Rodriguez likes this.
  9. Steve Martin

    Steve Martin Wild & Crazy Guy

    Location:
    Plano, TX
    It is really all up to whether they add support for it in iTunes and the built in iOS Music app. I guess we'll know with the next iTunes update!

    Oh, and the latest public beta (supposedly the GM) will still not play a FLAC file in the Files app on an iPhone 7 (although it describes it as "FLAC audio" when you open it).
     
    Last edited: Sep 12, 2017
  10. SamS

    SamS Forum Legend

    Location:
    Texas
    iTunes 12.7 out now.
     
  11. Steve Martin

    Steve Martin Wild & Crazy Guy

    Location:
    Plano, TX
    With no FLAC support.

    This update pretty much just removed support for iPhone apps and ringtones as far as I have seen.
     
  12. MrRom92

    MrRom92 Forum Supermodel Thread Starter

    Location:
    Long Island, NY
    Which is such a stupid decision. Unless they plan on coming out with some other form of desktop app manager. Since the start of the App Store, I used iTunes to download every app I have to my PC, that way if there's ever an app I have that gets removed from the App Store, or if I need to roll back a version for whatever reason, I still have a signed version of the IPA kept safe on my hard drive. I feel like it's always 1 step forwards 2 steps back with Apple :rolleyes:


    I didn't see anything about FLAC in the changelog, but has anyone tried dragging a FLAC file into their library yet?
     
  13. MrRom92

    MrRom92 Forum Supermodel Thread Starter

    Location:
    Long Island, NY

    If it handles hi-res, it would be entirely dependent on the DAC being output to. It would be nice if they didn't simply block or auto-resample hi-res files during sync, so that you could play them in hi res if you really wanted to, or play them at whatever resolution the hardware used can natively handle, but the important thing for now is that there's at least standard-res support, which comprises the bulk of my library. Even if it was just 50% of my songs that could be added and played back, it's certainly an improvement over 0%
     
  14. jkauff

    jkauff Senior Member

    Location:
    Akron, OH
    I was curious to see if Apple would support FLAC, but now that I have foobar2000 on my iPhone I don't really care. :righton:
     
    mj_patrick and drivingfrog like this.
  15. Graham

    Graham Senior Member

    Location:
    Perth, Australia
    Surely iTunes will soon be able to accept FLAC otherwise what would be the point?

    Apple's aim must be to get everyone using third party apps to play FLAC files back to iTunes.
     
  16. MrRom92

    MrRom92 Forum Supermodel Thread Starter

    Location:
    Long Island, NY
    Makes sense. If everyone using 3rd party apps never opens the main Music app, then they're never exposed to services like apple music where they might be tempted to sign up if it's something they're seeing constantly on their screen but can't access.
     
  17. Wombat Reynolds

    Wombat Reynolds Jimmy Page stole all my best riffs.

    Location:
    Atlanta, GA, USA
    can the new iphone that costs a THOUSAND DOLLARS play flac files?
     
  18. MrRom92

    MrRom92 Forum Supermodel Thread Starter

    Location:
    Long Island, NY
    The iPhone that cost a thousand dollars last year, or the years before it could not, so it's a noteworthy improvement
     
  19. DaleClark

    DaleClark Forum Resident

    Location:
    Columbus, Ohio
    Still no optical out on new ATV. I use Bluesound mode now anyway. I hear BS will be supporting AirPlay in the near future.
     
  20. Galley

    Galley Forum Resident

    Perhaps FLAC support is coming in High Sierra.
     
  21. cdash99

    cdash99 Senior Member

    Location:
    Mass
    AirPlay would be a dealMAKER as it would allow me to stream Apple Music to it from my desktop. I've held off for that reason. I presume that it would also be an upgrade from the Audioengine wireless point to point DAC.
     
  22. Tyler

    Tyler Senior Member

    Location:
    Hawaii
    MacOS already supports FLAC, just not in iTunes. You can already play FLAC files directly from the finder (press the space bar to preview and the file will start playing). VLC, Plex, and other current MacOS applications already support FLAC.
     
    Galley likes this.
  23. Bender Rodriguez

    Bender Rodriguez RIP Exene, best dog ever. 2005-2016

    According to my Dragonfly Red, my 8 plus is playing alac hi-res files in 24/96!! It’s not flac, but it’s something.
     
  24. Rolltide

    Rolltide Forum Resident

    Location:
    Vallejo, CA
    iTunes/etc already supported ALAC to include high res ALAC. Which is why this thread is kind of confusing to me, you'd think if this was such an important to somebody they would just use ALAC, as there's no real drawback. I don't use any Apple products in my music life anymore, but most of my library is ALAC left over from what I did. No issues, never encountered anything that supports FLAC but not ALAC.
     
  25. Bender Rodriguez

    Bender Rodriguez RIP Exene, best dog ever. 2005-2016

    I previously had a 6 and was unable to download alac hi-res files onto it, only alac 16/44.
     
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