What is MIME type "audio/3gpp"?

A MIME type is a string that tells browsers and other tools how to handle a particular kind of file.

audio/3gpp is a content type for audio data encoded in a 3GPP container. It is defined by the 3GPP standards for use in mobile networks.

This MIME type mainly serves efficient audio streaming and storage on mobile devices. It is built to handle low-bitrate audio. That makes it ideal for voice recordings and messaging. It also supports combined audio–video files when needed.

Main Use: Streaming and storing compressed audio for mobile communications.
Codec Support: Usually works with codecs like AMR, which is known for its adaptive speech encoding.
Multimedia Containers: Audio data using this MIME type often appears in files that may also include video. Common containers for these files include those with the 3GP and 3GPP extensions.
Streaming Benefits: The small file sizes help in reducing data usage over cellular networks.

For more technical background on MIME standards, check the IANA Media Types Registry.

Associated file extensions

.3gp, .amr, .3gpp

Usage Examples

HTTP Header

When serving content with this MIME type, set the Content-Type header:


    Content-Type: audio/3gpp

HTML

In HTML, you can specify the MIME type in various elements:


    <a href="file.dat" type="audio/3gpp">Download file</a>

Server-side (Node.js)

Setting the Content-Type header in Node.js:


    const http = require('http');
    
    http.createServer((req, res) => {
      res.setHeader('Content-Type', 'audio/3gpp');
      res.end('Content here');
    }).listen(3000);

Associated file extensions

.3gp, .amr, .3gpp

FAQ

What is a MIME type?

A MIME (Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions) type is a standard that indicates the nature and format of a document, file, or assortment of bytes. MIME types are defined and standardized in IETF's RFC 6838.

MIME types are important because they help browsers and servers understand how to process a file. When a browser receives a file from a server, it uses the MIME type to determine how to display or handle the content, whether it's an image to display, a PDF to open in a viewer, or a video to play.

MIME types consist of a type and a subtype, separated by a slash (e.g., text/html, image/jpeg, application/pdf). Some MIME types also include optional parameters.

How do I find the MIME type for a file?

You can check the file extension or use a file identification tool such as file --mime-type on the command line. Many programming languages also provide libraries to detect MIME types.

Why are multiple MIME types listed for one extension?

Different applications and historical conventions may use alternative MIME identifiers for the same kind of file. Showing them all helps ensure compatibility across systems.