MPEG-4 Audio (.m4a)
The M4A file extension, standing for MPEG-4 Audio, is a digital audio format developed by Apple in the early 2000s as part of the MPEG-4 standard. It utilizes Advanced Audio Coding (AAC) or Apple Lossless Audio Codec (ALAC) for efficient compression, offering high-quality audio at lower bitrates. M4A files are commonly used for storing music, audiobooks, and podcasts, particularly within Apple's ecosystem, including iTunes and iPod. This format emerged to provide better sound quality and smaller file sizes compared to MP3, aiming to become the new standard in audio compression.