Sony to support AAC audio format

Sony has announced that it will support the AAC audio format used by Apple in the next version of Sonic Stage, its digital music management software. While the application will not be able to play copy-protected songs from the iTunes Music Store, Sonic Stage will play music encoded with iTunes in AAC format. Sony already supports AAC in its PSP gaming device and select mobile phones, and it appears Sony plans to soon do the same with its line of Walkman digital music players. “Sony’s latest strategy is taken as an open acknowledgment that it can no longer ignore iPod’s dominant lead,” says one report on Sony’s announcement.