I don't know if it is all Google's fault. On linux it also depends on the audio subsystem used. When using pulseaudio every program that makes a noise is played (mixed) to the digital out so everything is at 44.1 kHz (or maybe 48 kHz, must check that) With ALSA audio it just hogs the output and it can play higher bitrates it the active program supports that. Other sounds are ignored.
I've seen these excuses before and I'm sorry are you saying GOOGLE can't afford to fix this?
Can't figure out a way to program around this? With all of their resources?
You can explain Linux to me, that's OK, I'm not an expert in how Linux audio works.
I'm pretty sure you can choose what audio driver/engine you're using in Linux but don't quote me on that since I use it for server and not audio, although I did run my home theater off of it for a time but don't remember much of the audio setup.
My annoyance is that Google has the resources to do this. That's just not debatable. They're worth $800M in market cap, put off insane double digit revenue growth, and they can't do this?
I'm not a corporate apologist. I don't think we should ever make excuses for companies of Google size. The. 0.0001% of stock return I'll suffer for Googles ability to fix this won't make me not sleep at night. They're sitting on piles of cash... Do something with it. Make the os better, make your company better, don't just sit on your hands and wonder. Or if you're not going to do anything, have a more aggressive buyback of shares (shareholders whined bitterly be for Apple stopped sitting on its cash and started returning it.).
Either make your products better, or give me my money back. Doing nothing really pisses me off.
I also don't understand why people defend company's like Google when you lose nothing for them fixing issues. Unless you own shares in the company and disagree... It doesn't hurt you at all...