Spotify’s journey towards providing lossless audio has been a long and winding road. Announced in September 2021, the much-anticipated Spotify HiFi tier was promised for a late 2021 launch. Fast-forward to May 2024, and we’re still waiting. Despite rumors of a rebranded “Supremium” plan at a steep $20 per month, there’s no sign of the upgrade. Yet,recent UI leaks suggest “Lossless” audio remains in the works, offering tantalizing glimpses for those still holding out hope.
Reddit user OhItsTom recently ignited excitement by sharing screenshots revealing Spotify’s work on the “Lossless” feature. The screenshots detail a compatibility checker for devices, connection, and bandwidth, along with advisories about offline usage and the limitations of listening via Bluetooth.
These leaks highlight the potential of lossless streaming, boasting bitrates up to 2,117kbps – a massive leap from the current maximum of 320kbps. Spotify even mentions 24-bit lossless audio via FLAC format for select songs.
More screenshots showcase a potential mobile app introduction for the feature, highlighting wireless streaming “up to 24-bit” on compatible devices via Spotify Connect and a “Lossless” label to indicate hi-res audio. This suggests a possible rebranding from “HiFi” to simply “Lossless,” perhaps bundled with additional perks in a Supremium plan.
While the screenshots ignite hope, the question remains: when will Spotify finally launch their lossless option? Though there are no clear answers, some speculate a launch could coincide with the audio-focused HIGH END Munich 2024 trade show, offering a glimmer of possibility.
And now, we shall wait again…
