Another day, another Spotify HiFi speculation
New speculations about the missing Spotify HiFi feature have surfaced. According to reports, Spotify is on the verge of introducing a premium subscription add-on for its most dedicated listeners.
This new plan promises to deliver the high-fidelity audio and advanced playlist-creation tools that users have long been waiting for.
Now, here’s the catch: the pricing will vary depending on your base plan, with an average markup of around 40%.
But, it’s expected that this add-on will generally cost you an extra $5 per month. That is on top of the recently increased $11.99 monthly fee for the standard Premium plan in the United States.
The New $5 Spotify HiFi Add-On
The upcoming add-on is expected to provide Spotify with the long-awaited lossless streaming option. Meaning, some songs will be available in 24-bit/44.1kHz quality using the FLAC format and a lossless quality of up to 2,117kbps.
But that’s not all there is to it.
The add-on will also include an AI-powered playlist creation tool, which is designed to generate custom playlists based on your activities, the time of year, or even specific dates. It will also learn your preferences over time to craft personalized playlists without you even having to ask.
It’s expected to be a huge step up from the recent Spotify AI DJ feature, any of the ‘Made for You’ playlists, or their new AI playlist.
The add-on may also include improved song library management. With this, users will be able to sort and organize their music more efficiently, with options to filter songs by mood and other criteria.
Plus, reports from The Wall Street Journal also claim that Spotify could bundle a remix feature so listeners can change how the music is played if they want. For example, they can speed up tracks or mash up a song with another.
The exact specifics are still under wraps, though.
Comparison With Competitors
Now, let’s address the elephant in the room: the price.
Yes, Spotify’s HiFi add-on comes with a heftier price tag compared to its competitors. In fact, opting for the add-on will set you back $16.99 per month for an individual plan.
In comparison, Spotify’s competition has long been offering lossless playback at no extra cost.
For example, all these platforms offer tracks in lossless, HiRes format, and Dolby Atmos:
- Both Apple Music and Amazon Music offer high-fidelity audio at no additional cost with their base plans, which start at $11 per month.
- Deezer offers HiFi as a standard for all Premium subscribers at $11.99.
- Tidal recently scrapped its HiFi Plus tier and combined it with the cheaper HiFi plan for only $10.99 per month.
So, while this new plan could generate hundreds of millions of dollars in additional revenue, it remains to be seen how many users will be willing to shell out the extra cash for these enhanced features.
So, what will set the Spotify HiFi add-on apart?
Well, the company is betting on attracting users who value not just premium audio quality but also advanced playlisting features.
History of Spotify HiFi Speculations
The journey of Spotify HiFi has been a roller coaster ride of anticipation and delays.
It all started back in February 2021 at the Stream On event, where Spotify first announced its intentions to launch a HiFi audio feature. The announcement even featured the talented siblings Billie Eilish and Finneas to add to the hype.
The plan was to roll out the service in select markets later that year. But, as fate would have it, the launch was postponed, leaving us all guessing about the company’s next move.
Fast forward to October 2022, and reports emerged suggesting that Spotify was gearing up to launch a new $19.99-per-month ‘Supremium’ tier that would include HiFi audio. But alas, that didn’t materialize either.
However, recent leaks have reignited our hopes, with an app code hinting at an imminent launch.
Users have stumbled upon clues within the Spotify app. This includes strings of code and UI elements mentioning lossless quality up to 2,117kbps and 24-bit/44.1kHz for select songs using the FLAC format. There was even a report of the Dolby Atmos icon on the Spotify app.
And, even Chris Messina, the founder of hashtag, has recently spotted a lossless audio feature in his Spotify Connect settings.
Despite these speculations and delays, Spotify remains committed to enhancing its service offerings.
So Spotify came late to the party and now they want to charge a Premium and now bless us with Lossless. After ever one else has has brought the dips, chips and drinks (Apple, Amazon and Tidal) already. I say No Thank you, you had your chance and it pulled the waiting game, now there should be no one at the Party for your to dance with.
Really Spotify changes it mind on what it is going to and not do. Plus the have cluttered up thier UI so much. I am not interested in Audiobooks, Podcasts etc… plus you now shoving pop up ads and trying to push ever local event. No Thank you.