Editing ATRAC (section)

==History==
ATRAC was developed for Sony's [[MiniDisc]] format. ATRAC was updated with version 2, then version 3, version 4, version 4.5, and Type R and Type S.{{citation needed|date=April 2025}}

The first major update was ATRAC3 (not to be confused with version 3 of original ATRAC) in 1999.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.minidisc.org/mdlpfaq.html | title=Minidisc FAQ: MDLP (''Long-Play'') Mode Topics }}</ref> ATRAC3 was used on MiniDisc as well as the [[Walkman|Network Walkman]] and Vaio Music Clip. ATRAC3plus was launched in 2003 for [[Hi-MD]], but was also compatible with some [[PlayStation]], [[VAIO]] and Xplod devices.<ref name="rw">{{cite web | url=https://www.rarewares.org/rrw/sonicstage.php | website=ReallyRareWares | title=Sony SonicStage (ATRAC) | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210727092505/https://www.rarewares.org/rrw/sonicstage.php | archive-date=2021-07-27 | url-status=live}}</ref>

On 31 March 2008 Sony all but dropped the ATRAC-related codecs in the United States and Europe, and in their [[SonicStage]] powered [[Sony Connect|Connect Music Store]] (Sony's equivalent of [[iTunes]] and [[iTunes Music Store]]). This was partly due to low adoption of the format, with a source claiming that 90% of European Walkman users did not use ATRAC. Walkman digital players outside Japan no longer worked with ATRAC after September 2007.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.watch.impress.co.jp/av/docs/20070831/ifa01.htm |title=IFA 2007【ソニー編】新ウォークマンは「Goes OPEN」 |website=www.watch.impress.co.jp |access-date=15 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070903201431/https://www.watch.impress.co.jp/av/docs/20070831/ifa01.htm |archive-date=3 September 2007 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

Until 1 October 2012, ATRAC was the only codec available to download music from [[mora (music store)|mora]] until they transitioned to a [[Digital rights management|DRM]] free model and began offering [[FLAC]] files the next year.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://av.watch.impress.co.jp/docs/news/20120920_560314.html |title=音楽配信「mora」がDRMフリー+高音質化。10月1日から -AV Watch |date=20 September 2012 |publisher=Av.watch.impress.co.jp |access-date=2013-10-16}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://av.watch.impress.co.jp/docs/news/20130926_616944.html |title=mora、FLAC形式のハイレゾ音源配信を10月17日開始 - AV Watch |date=26 September 2013 |publisher=Av.watch.impress.co.jp |access-date=2013-10-17}}</ref>

ATRAC9 was designed for PlayStation audio and debuted with the PlayStation Vita.<ref name="rw"/>