22. Spotify HiFi: Will We Ever Get Lossless Audio Streaming?

It has been over three years since Spotify announced its high-fidelity tier, Spotify HiFi. During its “Stream On” event in February 2021, the streaming giant promised users CD-quality, lossless audio format to rival high-end listening experiences. Yet, as of late 2024, the feature remains unreleased to the general public. For audiophiles and loyal subscribers, the wait has been confusing and frustrating. Here is a detailed look at what is causing the delay, the pivot to a new “Music Pro” add-on, and if we will ever actually get the upgrade.

The Timeline of Broken Promises

To understand the current situation, we have to look at the timeline. In early 2021, Spotify released a promotional video featuring Billie Eilish and Finneas, touting the benefits of high-quality audio. The company stated the feature would launch in “select markets” later that year.

However, the industry shifted dramatically just months later. In May 2021, Apple Music announced it would offer Lossless Audio and Spatial Audio with Dolby Atmos to all subscribers at no additional cost. Amazon Music quickly followed suit, removing the extra fee for its HD tier.

This move effectively destroyed the business model Spotify had likely planned. Spotify intended to charge extra for HiFi, perhaps around $19.99 per month. When competitors began giving it away for free (bundled into the standard $9.99 or $10.99 price), Spotify was forced to retreat and rethink its strategy.

From "Supremium" to "Music Pro"

For a long time, leakers and code-miners referred to the upcoming high-end tier as “Supremium.” This was expected to be a standalone subscription tier sitting above the Premium Individual plan. However, recent discoveries in the Spotify app code suggest a strategic pivot.

According to code snippets analyzed in early 2024, Spotify appears to be moving away from a dedicated “Supremium” plan. Instead, they are developing an add-on feature tentatively called “Music Pro.”

What “Music Pro” Likely Includes

This add-on is not just about bitrate. Spotify seems to be building a suite of tools to justify the extra cost that Apple and Amazon do not charge. Based on code leaks, the Music Pro add-on will likely include:

Lossless Audio: Support for FLAC audio files up to 24-bit/44.1kHz.
DJ Remix Features: Advanced mixing tools that allow users to speed up, mash-up, and edit tracks, catering to the TikTok generation’s desire to manipulate audio.
Headphone Optimization: Specific patented technology that uses headphone filters to improve sound quality for specific models, such as Apple AirPods or Sony WH-1000XM5s.
AI Playlist Generation: More advanced AI tools for curating libraries based on prompts.

The Economics of the Delay

Spotify CEO Daniel Ek has confirmed in interviews that HiFi is still coming, but he emphasized that it must make sense from a business perspective. Unlike Apple and Amazon, Spotify does not have a massive hardware ecosystem or e-commerce shipping business to subsidize its music streaming costs.

Spotify operates on thin margins. They pay out roughly 70% of their revenue to rights holders. If they simply added lossless audio to the standard $11.99 Premium plan, their server costs for hosting the much larger FLAC files would skyrocket without any increase in revenue.

This is why the “Music Pro” add-on theory is gaining traction. Reports suggest Spotify may charge an additional $5 per month on top of the standard subscription for this package. This would push the total cost for a HiFi user to roughly $17 per month.

The Hardware Reality Check

One major hurdle Spotify faces is consumer hardware. While “Lossless” sounds like a must-have feature, the reality is that most Spotify users cannot hear it with their current equipment.

Bluetooth Limitations: If you listen to music primarily through Bluetooth headphones (like AirPods Pro, Bose QuietComfort, or Sony XM series), you cannot hear true lossless audio. Bluetooth compresses audio to transmit it wirelessly. Even with high-end codecs like Sony’s LDAC or Qualcomm’s aptX Lossless, there is still compression involved.

To get the full benefit of the proposed Spotify HiFi:

You need a wired connection (DAC/Amp) to your headphones or speakers.
You need Wi-Fi-enabled speakers (like Sonos or Bluesound) that support Spotify Connect with high bitrate throughput.

Spotify knows this. This is likely why they are bundling “remix tools” and “headphone optimization” into the Music Pro tier. They need to sell features that wireless headphone users can actually appreciate, rather than just a bitrate number that their Bluetooth connection will bottle-neck.

Competitor Landscape

While Spotify delays, the competition has matured significantly. Here is where the market stands today regarding audio quality:

Apple Music: Offers ALAC (Apple Lossless Audio Codec) up to 24-bit/192kHz and Dolby Atmos spatial audio. Included in the standard $10.99 monthly fee.
Amazon Music Unlimited: Offers “Ultra HD” quality up to 24-bit/192kHz. Included in the standard price (often cheaper for Prime members).
Tidal: Previously the expensive option for audiophiles, Tidal recently simplified its pricing. It now offers its high-res FLAC tier at the same $10.99 price point as Apple and Spotify, dropping its $19.99 price tag.
Qobuz: Remains a niche favorite for purists, offering high-res audio streaming and a download store, generally starting around $10.83/month (if paid yearly).

Is It Too Late?

For many audiophiles, the ship has sailed. Users who care deeply about sound quality have likely already migrated to Tidal or Qobuz. However, Spotify possesses a “sticky” factor that competitors lack: the algorithm.

Spotify’s discovery engine (Discover Weekly, Release Radar) and its ubiquity across devices (PlayStation, Tesla, smart fridges) make it hard to leave. The “Music Pro” add-on targets the user who loves Spotify’s interface but hates the idea that they are getting lower quality audio than Apple users.

If the rumors hold true and the feature launches in late 2024 or early 2025, it will likely be marketed as a “Pro” suite for music lovers and creators, rather than just a “HiFi” switch. This pivot allows Spotify to charge extra without looking like they are charging for something others give away for free.

Frequently Asked Questions

When will Spotify HiFi be released? There is no confirmed release date. However, code leaks involving the “Music Pro” branding intensified in early 2024, suggesting a launch could happen by the end of the year or early 2025.

How much will Spotify HiFi cost? Current leaks suggest it will not be a separate $19.99 plan, but rather an add-on to your existing Premium subscription. The estimated cost for the add-on is around $5 per month.

Will I be able to hear the difference? If you use standard Bluetooth earbuds, you likely will not hear a difference in audio resolution due to wireless compression. However, you might notice differences if Spotify includes specific sound profiles or “headphone optimization” filters in the update.

What is the maximum bitrate Spotify currently offers? Currently, Spotify Premium offers “Very High” quality, which streams at approximately 320kbps using the Ogg Vorbis or AAC codec. Lossless audio would increase this to 1,411kbps or higher.