Advanced Audio Coding (AAC) is a standardized, lossy audio compression and encoding scheme for digital audio. Designed as the successor to MP3, AAC generally achieves better sound quality than MP3 at the same bit rate. It is widely used for audio encoding and streaming on various platforms and devices. AAC is part of the MPEG-2 and MPEG-4 specifications. It supports a wide range of bit rates, sample rates, and channels, making it suitable for various applications, including music streaming, digital radio, and video soundtracks. AAC files are commonly used by Apple's iTunes and iOS devices, as well as Android devices and other media players. The format offers improved coding efficiency and perceptual audio quality compared to its predecessor, MP3, particularly at lower bitrates. AAC is a popular choice for delivering high-quality audio content over the internet and for storing audio files on portable devices.