It looks like Spotify HiFi could be launching very soon, as a video has leaked online that appears to show a welcome visit to the new streaming tier. It was posted by Reddit user Nickx000x (via What Hi-Fi?) with the caption "Here's a preview of the app mod's upcoming HiFi onboarding process," and appears to offer potential users of HiFi a behind-the-scenes tour of the service: Announced back in February, Spotify HiFi is expected to offer lossless CD-quality sound to bridge the gap between the streaming platform and audiophile services like Tidal, though Spotify doesn't quite go as far far enough to offer high-resolution audio. rivals. . Although Spotify hasn't verified that the video is legitimate, the fact that it has been leaked suggests that the new hi-fi tier will be released very soon. Either way, Spotify said the service would be available "later in 2021" when it was first announced, so an imminent launch date certainly isn't out of the question.
Get it right and get it done for free (or very cheap)
While there's a lot of excitement around the idea of Spotify HiFi, the high-quality music streaming market is pretty competitive, and Apple Music will be your biggest rival. Apple Music (and Amazon Music HD) have introduced high-resolution audio to their streaming platform at no additional cost to subscribers, in a move that democratizes high-quality audio for the first time. Previously, audiophiles had to pay more for hi-res audio on platforms like Tidal, and that could be the same story for Spotify HiFi, which is expected to cost more than a regular Spotify Premium subscription and won't even hit the minimum. . threshold for high resolution audio. Apple's delivery of true Hi-Res Audio (as well as Spatial Audio) at no additional cost likely put a damper on Spotify's work. After all, if Apple can offer better service for less, what's to stop previously loyal Spotify subscribers from jumping ship? The only way we can see Spotify HiFi being a real match for Apple Music's level of lossless streaming is if the company can offer it at no extra cost to existing Premium subscribers - audiophiles won't be happy with anything less. Like 96 kHz / 24 bit. , and casual listeners probably don't care enough about CD-quality audio to pay every month.
(Image credit: Apple) One thing that will likely work in Spotify's favor is support for its wireless streaming standard, Spotify Connect. Many modern wireless speakers are compatible with Spotify Connect and Apple's built-in AirPlay 2, but you'll need an Apple device like an iPhone or iPad to use Apple AirPlay 2 with a speakerphone-compatible speaker. If you want to ensure stable connections with your devices by using your Wi-Fi network to stream your music instead of Bluetooth, being an Android user might be enough to make you want to use Spotify on Apple Music. We're not holding our breath to make Spotify Hi-Fi free for existing subscribers, and some users who want better-quality streams may well stick with Spotify for convenience alone. However, we would like the streaming platform to keep costs as low as possible for its users; High-quality music streaming is more accessible than ever, and subscription prices need to take this into account. The best Spotify deals of the day