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The tool by which record labels submit content, has been updated to accommodate CD-quality recordings, in addition to the existing AAC format, according to AppleInsider.

With a release of Version 1.4 of iTunes Producer, Apple said the software 'now encodes music in Apple Lossless format, which produces larger audio files and will increase upload time,' it reports.

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This has inevitably provoked speculation about Apple's plans, particularly with regard to implementing digital rights management (DRM) and the enforcement of copy prevention, such as surrounds the existing AAC (advanced audio codec) format. This is a critical aspect of any legitimate download service, which has to guard against unlicensed access to content.

One of the major disincentives to downloading music online, however, has been the quality of the recordings provided. The objection has long been that by paying for a CD you have greater control over your purchase and a better quality recording to boot.

The QuickTime 6.5.1 update, which was made available in March 2004, first included the Apple Lossless Encoder. The audio codec retains the full quality of uncompressed CD audio while requiring only about half the storage space.