In a move that could change the music streaming subscription landscape, Spotify is said to be preparing to launch a more expensive tier called ‘Music Pro’, promising audio enthusiasts Premium experience with lossless sound quality. This development comes amid growing competition in the streaming industry, with rivals such as Apple Music already offering similar features.
Rumors surrounding Spotify’s venture into lossless audio have been circulating for years, even before Apple Music adopted the technology in 2021. Even so, what has been dubbed ‘Spotify HiFi’ remains elusive. However, according to depthly known from The Verge, signs suggest that Spotify is now laying the groundwork for the introduction of a new ‘Music Pro’ package, 9to5Mac reported.
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Embed code in the Spotify app provides a glimpse at upcoming premium tier features. The standout addition is lossless audio support, with Spotify aiming to deliver FLAC audio files at up to 24-bit/44.1kHz quality. By comparison, Apple Music’s lossless range ranges from 16-bit/44.1 kHz (CD Quality) to 24-bit/192 kHz.
Enhanced listening experience
For starters, lossless audio requires compression without losing any audio data, resulting in playback that is faithful to the original master file. This promises to bring a higher level of detail to the listener, especially when combined with high-end wired headphones or other specialized equipment.
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Beyond Lossless: What to expect
In addition to lossless audio, Spotify is looking to make the deal more attractive for ‘Music Pro’ subscribers. In addition to the reported remix feature allowing track manipulation, there are also suggestions for headphone optimization tailored to specific models like Apple’s AirPods. Advanced AI-based filters for playlist management also appear on the card.
Details on the launch and pricing of the ‘Music Pro’ tier are still uncertain. However, as Spotify considered charging for lossless audio, Apple Music specifically offered hi-fi audio to all subscribers at no additional cost. Currently priced at $10.99 per month in the US, Apple Music offers an attractive alternative.
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With the battle for audio supremacy heating up between the streaming giants, the question arises: will consumers be willing to spend more for lossless audio on Spotify, or will they consider switching Apple Music?
