Apple HomePod, Mini to support lossless audio via software update

Apple has developed its own lossless audio compression technology called Apple Lossless Audio Codec (ALAC).

In a new support document, the tech giant also revealed that Apple TV 4K will only support standard lossless audio at its launch.

Apple Music will offer more than 20 million songs in lossless quality for free at the launch of ALAC technology in June that will reach over 75 million by the end of this year.

Most audio compression techniques lose some amount of data contained in the original source file.

Lossless compression is a form of compression that preserves all of the original data.

In addition to Lossless Audio Codec (ALAC), the entire Apple Music catalog is now also encoded using ALAC in resolutions ranging from "16-bit/44.1 kHz (CD Quality) up to 24-bit/192 kHz," the company informed.

Apple will deliver music using lossless audio compression to iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple TV.

"Lossless will play back normally on Bluetooth speakers and headphones. However, Bluetooth connections don't support lossless audio," said the company.

Broadcast radio, live radio and on-demand content from Apple Music 1, Apple Music Hits, Apple Music Country and music videos will not be available in lossless audio.

"We're offering Apple Music subscribers the additional option to access our entire catalog encoded using lossless audio compression at no extra cost," said the company.