After 24 years of long run, the iconic MP3 format as declared its shut down. The Fraunhofer Institute for Integrated Circuits, the major investors which funded the technology, has called off its licensing program for MP3. The developers believe that MP3 has lost its relevance in the modern day technology as more advanced audio codecs with better features are available, which are better than the 24 year old MP3 formats.
As per the developers all the modern devices are programmed to function with ISO-MPEG codecs like Advanced Audio Codec (AAC) which provides higher audio quality at much lower bitrates compared to MP3. Another format MPEG-H is also in its developing stage and once it is launched then the users will be able to enjoy high audio standard with immersive 3D audio. It’s under this fact and all these latest development in the audio industry that they decided to call of MP3 from service. The users can still enjoy the MP3 formats in their audio devices but without the support from its developers.
MP3 storm hit the world music industry in the late 1990’s, which revolutionized the music sharing and listening industry. The format made it possible to reduce the size of an audio file to 95 percent than the original size without compromising the quality of listening. The invention of MP3 paved the way for development of many new music listening medias including the Apple ipod. And on a negative side by the launch of MP3 illegal music downloads and digital piracy also got its advantage and until now most of the pirated audio files available in the internet are in MP3 format.
It may be a true fact that the audio quality of mp3 may not be as good as the latest technologies, but MP3 will never be forgotten it will always have an historical spot in the world music industry considering the fact that it was the foundation for all the modern forms of music including the ipod. So it’s always an emotional farewell to MP3.
