iOS 11 is expected to add native support for the popular FLAC audio format on iPhone, iPad and iPods. As readers of Reddit found out, Apple added the ability to play high quality FLAC audio files in iOS 11. In the days of iOS 10, when iTunes lacked built-in support for playing FLAC files, users had to install additional software for this.
Currently, the ability to play FLAC audio files is available in the file manager. Of course, this will change in future releases of the operating system in the process of running in and preparing iOS 11 for the fall final release, where iTunes will be updated accordingly and will also receive support for this popular audio format.
As of today, any FLAC audio file synced to a iOS device via the iCloud Drive, Dropbox or Box services can be played through the file manager. In iOS 11 FLAC files are not yet playable through the Music app.
As an experiment, I tried to send one FLAC audio file to my iPhone, on which iOS 11 is installed, via the AirDrop service, but nothing happened. My iPhone did not know what to do with this file and displayed the standard offer to search and download the corresponding application from App Store.
Regardless of the opinion of ordinary users, this innovation from the outside Apple will be great news for lovers of quality music.
The FLAC audio format provides lossless compression up to 60% of the original file size.
iOS 10 now supports audio formats such as AAC, Protected AAC, HE-AAC, MP3, MP3 VBR, Dolby Digital (AC-3), Dolby Digital Plus (E-AC-3), Audi ble (formats 2, 3, 4, Audi ble Enhanced Audi o, AAX and AAX +), Apple Lossless, AIFF and WAV.
FLAC audio format support on iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch on iOS 11 may also mean that a new smart device HomePod that Apple is preparing for release, will also be capable of playing high quality music.