Like I said, open source is not the same as a standard. This is a standard. If MPEG-4 ALS had been done, I bet Apple would have used it. FLAC is a wonderful CODEC donated to the world by a group of smart, generous people, but it's not a standard. Xiph.org completely controls FLAC, and can do whatever they want to it.

Don't get me wrong - I like FLAC, and Vorbis too. I think it's great that the xiph people have given them to the world. They're not standards, though. I can't even find a published specification for FLAC.