M4A vs. MP3: What's the Difference?
M4A is a container for modern audio codecs like AAC and ALAC. It's the default for Apple devices and offers great quality at small sizes.
MP3 is the universal standard. It's been around since the 90s. While technically less efficient than M4A, its superpower is compatibility. If a device has a speaker, it can probably play an MP3.
Converting from M4A to MP3 is essentially trading a bit of efficiency for maximum compatibility.