Mastering for iTunes: Good Idea?

I recently learned of Apple’s ‘new’ encoding standard for iTunes and was initially very interested.  What they are now offering for the online ‘iTunes Plus’ store are AAC encoded files at twice the bitrate to their previous catalog.  When Apple initially launched the iTunes store, songs were encoded using AAC at 128 kbps.  After artists submit their high quality masters, Apple pushes the songs through a 32-bit float point AAC encoder, converting them into a salable online download.  

iTunes wants to improve audio quality?  I’m immediately on board because I am an audio quality freak.  My music library is slowly being switched to lossless audio, which is a digital file that makes an exact copy of the original.  While most people may not hear or understand the difference between a lossless digital file and an mp3, there is something comforting in the thought that I possess the exact same copies as the songs on the CD.  I am one of those people who can hear a difference, and there’s nothing worse for me than getting a demo from someone who exported the whole album in mp3.  You want me to hear how good you sound?  Don’t give me crap quality!

In my opinion, there is an up and downside to Apple’s improved file format.  The positive is that Apple is taking the initiative to move digital music into the right direction.  Also, they are informing engineers to submit the highest quality masters they possess, which means the song will provide the best quality it can for an AAC encoded file.  The downside is that this may be a ‘jump the gun’ scenario for iTunes.  While the new audio files will be superior to those previously offered, Apple cannot account for the future desires of their customers.  By the time this whole process is rolled out, it could be possible that customers of iTunes will demand lossless.

I think Apple should’ve considered waiting a bit longer so that storage space could become cheaper, Internet could become faster, and online lossless purchasing could become the norm.  Here is the reason: when everyone IS demanding lossless, Apple will have to start over again and re-encode all their masters with a lossless encoder.  They could’ve waited 5 years to rollout iTunes Plus, then release the highest quality possible, and even charge an extra fifty cents per song, just for the improvement.  While I commend Apple for taking a step into the right direction, I must say that someone working there was thinking too much in the ‘now’ and not focusing on what this decision meant for the future of iTunes.