Spotify to Introduce High-Quality Audio Streaming Service by Year's End
Unleash the Soundwave, My Fellow Audiphiles!
Gear up, music enthusiasts, as Spotify is cooking up something truly spectacular! During a recent event, the streaming giant announced that later this year, they'll be introducing a new tier for Premier subscribers: Spotify HiFi. This high-fidelity audio experience is long-awaited—it's consistently one of the most sought-after new features by users.
Once live, Spotify HiFi users will be able to dazzle their ears with lossless audio on their devices and Spotify Connect-enabled speakers. To ensure this luxury is widely accessible, Spotify is collaborating with major speaker manufacturers from around the globe.
On the details front, Spotify's new tier is still a bit of a secret. At the moment, Spotify streams at a max bitrate of 160kbps for free users and 320kbps for Premium users. CD-quality audio flaunts a bitrate of 1,411kbps, but many high-fidelity streaming services surpass that. Tidal, for instance, goes up to an impressive 9,216 kbps via its Tidal Masters tier. Qobuz, another high-fidelity service, also streams at that rate. Whether Spotify opts for "standard" CD-quality or something beyond is yet to be reveled. As for podcasts, the mystery remains—will they too benefit from a quality upgrade? Pricing and the availability of Spotify HiFi have yet to be decided.
It's not only Spotify that's hopping onto the HiFi bandwagon. Sonos recently launched Sonos Radio HD, a high-fidelity tier of its Sonos Radio service, and Amazon introduced Amazon Music HD back in 2019.
Apart from the titillating news about Spotify HiFi, the company also had some other exciting announcements. They're partnering with DC and Warner Bros. for a multi-year deal to produce narrative scripted podcasts, starting with Batman Unburied. Spotify also hinted at podcasts from acclaimed director Ava DuVernay, a new podcast from the Obamas titled "Tell Them, I Am," and a partnership with the Russo Brothers' entertainment company AGBO. The company also announced a collaboration with Anchor and WordPress that'll let bloggers publish their written content as podcasts.
Lastly, Spotify will be expanding its presence in 85 new markets and 36 new languages, taking its total number of markets to more than 170. While all these new markets will have access to Spotify's entire global music and podcast catalog, the company will have to work closely with local rights holders to include more local offerings.
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The source material suggests that the expected bitrate for Spotify HiFi is around 1,411 kbps, similar to Tidal's HiFi tier. The pricing for Spotify HiFi is said to be approximately $17 to $18 per month, about $5 to $6 more than the current Spotify Premium subscription. Some reports indicate a fixed price of $17.99 in the US and £17.99 in the UK.
- The anticipated bitrate for Spotify HiFi, similar to Tidal's HiFi tier, is around 1,411 kbps.
- With the introduction of Spotify HiFi, users will experience lossless audio, bridging the gap between traditional 320kbps and CD-quality audio.
- Amidst the tech future, Spotify HiFi and the company's partnerships with DC, Warner Bros., and big speaker manufacturers are setting new standards in the world of music and podcast streaming.
- As the tech industry continues to evolve, the narrative is being rewritten with Spotify's entry into the high-fidelity audio space, challenging competitors like Tidal and Qobuz.
