Spotify has been teasing us with the promise of upgraded lossless music for what feels like forever, and yet, here we are in May 2024, still waiting. Remember when they announced Spotify HiFi back in September 2021? Yeah, that was supposed to be our ticket to pristine sound quality, but it seems like that train hasn’t arrived at the station just yet. Rumors have been flying left and right about a possible makeover, with whispers of a fancy new “Supremium” plan priced at $20 a month, but so far, it’s all been speculation. But hey, there’s a glimmer of hope on the horizon – leaked UI screenshots are popping up, hinting that Spotify HiFi might not be dead in the water after all.
Recent leaks shared by a Redditor named OhItsTom offer a sneak peek into the progress of Spotify HiFi, shedding light on its features and interface. These leaked screenshots provide valuable insights into what users can expect from the long-awaited upgrade, even though the feature itself remains inactive.
Leaked UI Elements Provide Insight
According to the leaked screenshots, Spotify’s lossless music streaming promises a significant improvement in audio quality, boasting bitrates of up to 1,411kbps, a significant leap from the current Very High setting of 320kbps. Furthermore, users may potentially enjoy streaming quality of up to 2,117kbps, resulting in a data consumption of 15.9MB per minute. Additionally, select songs may be available in 24-bit lossless quality through the FLAC audio format, enhancing the overall listening experience for audiophiles.
The leaked screenshots also unveil a compatibility checker feature, designed to inform users about their device’s compatibility, connection type, and bandwidth for lossless audio streaming. With a nifty compatibility checker, you’ll know right away if your device, connection, and bandwidth are up to snuff for lossless audio streaming. Users are advised against streaming lossless audio over Bluetooth, with wired connections or wireless streaming via Spotify Connect recommended for optimal performance.
Rebranding and Potential Release
Speculations abound regarding a potential rebranding of Spotify HiFi to “Lossless,” possibly integrated into a rumored Supremium plan. These UI elements are visuals only for now (lossless playback isn’t working yet), according to OhItsTom, who also claims Spotify is internally referring to the feature as “enhanced listening” instead of HiFi now. Despite the delays, these leaked UI elements offer a glimmer of hope for users eagerly awaiting Spotify’s foray into lossless music streaming.
As anticipation continues to mount, uncertainty looms over the official launch date of Spotify’s lossless music streaming. While competitors like Amazon Music, Tidal and Apple Music have long embraced high-resolution audio, Spotify’s delayed rollout has put the patience of its users to the test. With promises of an enhanced listening experience on the horizon, the pressure mounts for Spotify to deliver on its long-awaited upgrade. Only time will tell if Spotify will uphold its commitment to providing lossless music streaming to its dedicated user base.
