M4a is an audio-only file extension used with mp4 files. There are no format differences between .m4a and .mp4 files, but m4a is typically used for unprotected audio-only content. Mp4 files can contain audio, video, subtitles, and 3D objects and use compression to reduce file size. Mp4 players are not specifically designed to play mp4 or m4a files.
M4a is a file extension used with mp4, also known as Moving Picture Experts Group-4 (MPEG-4), file. Mp4 files are known as “container” files. Because they can contain many types of content, including audio, video, subtitles, and three-dimensional (3D) objects, it is impossible to determine the type of content contained in an mp4 file based on the standard mp4 file extension. To address this issue, Apple® created the m4a file extension to denote audio-only files.
There are no format differences between .m4a and .mp4 files. Mp4 is the only file extension officially recognized by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). The m4a file extension, however, is typically used for audio-only content that is not protected by digital rights management, while the mp4 extension is usually used for mp4 files that contain both audio and video.
M4a files can be saved locally or can be used to stream audio over the internet. The mp4 file type is based on the Apple® QuickTime format and is identical to the Quicktime Movie (MOV) file format. However, the mp4 format also has formal support for initial object descriptors (IOPs) and other MPEG specifications. The Mp4 file format is the basis for other file formats such as 3GP and Motion Joint Photographic Experts Group (JPEG) 2000. The original version of the mp4 file format was released in 2001 and a second version was released in 2003.
The mp4 file format is often confused as being directly related to mp4 players. An mp4 player is the common name for a portable media player marketed as a next generation MPEG Audio Layer 3 (mp3) player. Not only are mp4 players not specifically designed to play mp4 or m4a files, many are unable to play such files.
Mp4 files use audio and video compression to reduce file size. The Apple® Lossless Encoder allows you to compress mp4 container format files with less loss of data than other “lossy” formats such as Advanced Audio Codec (AAC) and mp3. M4a files also tend to have higher audio quality than mp3s and other audio files of the same size. Mp4 files can be played on many popular portable audio players, including the iPod.
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