Wii to Replace MP3 with AAC

In a move that some may deem a little foolish, Nintendo have announced an upcoming upgrade for the Wii's photo channel service, replacing support for the world's most popular format, MP3, with AAC. Nintendo's official website states:

Check out these enhancements to the Photo Channel, which will be available in December, 2007.

-Personalize your Wii Menu by making one of your favorite digital images from an SD memory card as the Photo Channel icon.

-The Wii console will replace MP3 compatibility with the ability to play AAC files, which provide a greater sound quality than an MP3 of the same size. This new compatibility will work with MP4 audio files in the .m4a format. Additionally, you can now choose to have the songs play back in a random order.

-Wii consoles sold in retail stores starting in December 2007 should include AAC file support.

-For Wii Console owners without the AAC file compatibility, you can download the updated version of the Photo Channel from the Wii Shop Channel starting in early December 2007. Please note that once you download the updated Photo Channel (ver 1.1), you will no longer be able to play MP3 format music files.

Additionally, consumers who purchase a Wii console with the updated Photo Channel (ver. 1.1) already installed will not be able to install the previous version to support MP3 playback.

[ItsDubC]

I've actually never used the Photo Channel but switching to AAC from the most common music format just seems suspicious to me for some reason. Possible ulterior motives? iTunes integration?

[Kholinar]

Could be itunes integration, but itunes and all apple products are fully compatible with mp3... It might have to do with licensing issues. Mp3 is much less friendly, more expensive (like $.75 vs. $.12) and a lot of companies are currently getting sued because of mp3 patent disputes.... http://www.crunchgear.com/2...

They are right about one thing, though... AAC is much better quality.

Oops... we're front page now... So before we get any sillyness, AAC is not Apple's format. It's an open (but not completely free) format that Apple chose.

Phew...

[texism]

This doesn't make sense.

[Darkiewonder]

Will stop working for Excite Truck or they'll patch that game up? ;o

[Kholinar]

good question... seems like it's saying the entire console will be updated, not just the photo channel.

[Darkiewonder]

Hopefully I won't be FORCED. If it's just the Photo Channel, I won't update. If they try to stick it in a FW Update, I'll just have to find a way not to run it ;O

I really want to know the reason Nintendo is doing this.

[Kholinar]

looks like it's not a forced upgrade.

Could be bad if they update the photo section with things you like.

There could be a lot of reasons, as I stated in my earlier post. Eventually one would think that mp3 would die... it's really, really old and really not very good at compression.

[Darkiewonder]

But like many others, I still use it lol.

[ChickeyCantor]

the MP3 program should be compiled with the game.... i mean i wouldnt be suprised if the ingame soundtracks were mp3.

[DJ]

people who update and assume that they're simply adding a new feature, not deleting a prior one. MP3s are standard though. Shouldn't Nintendo simply support both?

[damnwrx]

Similar to BD and HD-DVD..........Fok that iish.

[ItsDubC]

Ya I would've liked Nintendo to *add* support for AAC instead of replacing MP3 w/ AAC, which is why I'm suspicious of this move.

[TruthbeTold]

I think that decisions like this come down to the tiny amount of storage space on the Wii, and Nintendo's refusal to do better. They can't afford two music programs, so they are offering a replacement. I just hope that people realize this when they download the program.

[Komrad]

that TONNES of MONEYY makes you crraaazzyyy...

[M_Prime]

who knows why.. but we know that it is what it is.. and they are providing software to make the conversion.. and most of Nintendo's updates come in the form of WIIMAIL.. and they are very informative so i'm sure people can make an informed decision.

also has everyone noticed that Nintendo actually tells us that if we modified out WIIs then there is a chance they can get bricked in the update process.. which is very honest :-)