Spotify’s long-awaited Hi-Fi upgrade is finally moving again. Code strings uncovered in the latest desktop, web, and iOS beta apps by Chris Messina reference a “lossless” option that streams or downloads music at up to 24-bit/44.1 kHz.
Here’s what the code reveals:
- Quality bump: A splash-screen string promises “the best sound quality on Spotify: music in up to 24-bit/44.1 kHz,” confirming true CD-quality playback.
- Cross-platform rollout: Lossless hooks now appear in macOS, Windows, and web builds, and MacRumors verified identical references inside the iPhone beta.
- Local downloads: One flag notes that tracks can be stored offline in the higher-resolution format, mirroring Apple Music’s approach.
A New “Music Pro” Upsell
Bloomberg previously reported that Spotify plans to fold Hi-Fi into a broader Music Pro tier featuring DJ/remix tools and early concert-ticket access. Internal pricing discussions put the add-on at up to $5.99 a month on top of the regular Premium fee, though sources cautioned that details may shift before launch.
Spotify first teased a Hi-Fi tier in early 2021, but licensing and product-strategy snags repeatedly pushed the debut. Apple seized the opening that same year, making its entire catalog available in up to 24-bit/192 kHz Lossless at no extra cost, a move that left Spotify both late and, based on current leaks, likely more expensive.
The latest code references stop short of a hard launch date, but internal targets still circle “later this year,” lining up with Spotify’s recent sprint of feature releases and price tweaks. If the timeline holds, iPhone users could see a lossless toggle appear alongside the next major app update.
Why It Matters
A lossless option would finally give Spotify loyalists parity with Apple Music, Tidal, and Amazon Music HD, all of which already push CD-quality or better. For audiophiles, and for Spotify, which is facing rising royalty costs and slowing subscriber growth, the new tier could be both a revenue booster and a retention play.
For now, though, all ears are on Spotify’s next update, and whether the company can strike the right chord on price after keeping high-fidelity fans waiting four years.