iTunes Needs to Improve Quality of Music Downloads
By Robert Archer
Storage is no longer an issue thanks to Apple iCloud, so it's time for iTunes to step up and deliver high-resolution audio files.

It wasn't that long ago that I had to manage the content stored on my iPod and first-generation iPhone. Until I upgraded the hard drive on my iMac, I remember managing the amount of hard drive space my iTunes content took up by prioritizing the content I wanted to keep in tact through the import methods I used.

Now with the introduction of Apple's iCloud and other cloud-based storage services, storage issues will soon be a thing of the past. Music lovers will no longer be limited to the restrictions of physical storage and will no longer need to buy low-resolution AAC or MP3 files.



With iTunes entrenched as the No. 1 music retail service, millions of consumers are accustom to the sound quality (or lack of) associated with iTunes content. In response, a growing number of consumers are turning to vinyl or other high-resolution download alternatives such as HD Tracks and, to a lesser extent, iTrax to get their fix of high-quality music.

There were rumors earlier this year that Apple was in talks with several music labels to bring higher resolution files to iTunes, so the Cupertino, California-based company is aware of the public's hunger for better quality music downloads. But how proactive is Apple in pursuing the delivery of high-resolution music files? It's time for Apple to offer something better than its current best offering of 256kbps files.

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