- Years after making the promise to introduce lossless audio, Spotify might be finally making a move in that direction.
- A Reddit user posted screenshots from the latest version 1.2.36, revealing that the bit-rate can now be adjusted up to 1411 kbps.
- There’s no official release date but sources revealed that it will be slowly rolled out to all desktop and mobile users. Premium users will get to use it first.
Spotify might be finally fulfilling its promise of providing lossless music. A Reddit user named ‘OhItsTom’ shared a few leaked UI elements from the platform revealing that Spotify has been updated to include music streaming options with up to 1411 kbps (might increase to 2117 kbps) whereas previously it was restricted to 320 kbps.
This feature is already available on rival music streaming platforms like Apple Music, Tidal, and Amazon Music, so it’s high time Spotify joined the race.
What Is Lossless Music?
In simple terms, lossless music is when the audio is heard in its purest form – just how the artist intended it to be heard. The numbers 1411 kbps and 320 kbps mentioned above stand for bitrate. The higher the bitrate, the better the audio.
While lossless audio provides an immersive experience, it also takes up a lot of data. For example, if you stream audio at a 2,117 Mbps bitrate for even a minute, it will require about 15.9 MB.
You’ll also need a faster internet bandwidth to stream the music. In case it’s slow, Spotify will notify you about the same.
When Is the Feature Coming Out?
There has been no official announcements yet. Some users reported getting this new UI update—although it’s unavailable for most users.
Other sources have said that this feature will soon be rolled out on both desktop and mobile versions of the platform.
It’s worth noting that when the feature does roll out, it will be limited to a 24-bit/44.1kHz bit rate using the popular FLAC audio format, at least in the beginning.
The update will also come with a compatibility checker, so you can check in advance whether Lossless will work with your device or not. You will have to enter your device type, connection type, and network bandwidth to check compatibility.
It’s also important to note that not everyone will be able to use it initially. Spotify will either limit it to Premium users only or launch an entirely new subscription plan. As per some leaked news from 2021, if a new subscription model is introduced, it might be called “Supremium”.
Most Bluetooth devices don’t support lossless audio. So, if you want the full experience, use a wired device or play via Spotify’s Connect feature.
Expected Change in Feature Name
Spotify’s plan to introduce lossless audio were first announced in 2021. Back then, it was rumored that it would be called Spotify HiFi. But new screenshots suggest that it will be renamed as “Lossless”—perhaps to help users easily understand exactly what the feature does.
Also, note that all of these details have come from leaks and unofficial sources. This means that nothing can be said for sure until the company makes an official announcement.
What we do know for sure, though, is that Spotify is working on three other projects apart from Lossless at the moment:
- A new music editing feature called Music Pro that would allow users to remix songs.
- A new headphone optimization feature to improve audio quality. However, it will only work with selected devices—Apple Airpods will be one of them.
- A new feature that will allow users to create AI-powered Spotify playlists just by using text prompts.
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