Spotify is planning to launch a Hi-Fi tier for its stream service, offering CD-quality lossless audio.
According to beta invites send out to some Premium subscribers (via The Verge), the service will be called Spotify Hi-Fi and will be available to subscribers for an extra $10 (likely £10) a month.
The move into Hi-Fi could lure loyalists to Jay-Z’s Tidal streaming service back into the Spotify fold. The $19.99 price point for lossless audio mirrors the tariff asked for Tidal Hi-Fi.
Related: What is Spotify Climatune?
It appears Spotify wants some Premium subscribers to test the service while it is in beta, but those folks have been unable to sign-up and take the new tier for a spin.
https://twitter.com/statuses/836753566693900289
Judging by materials released in today’s report, it will be dubbed “The ultimate music experience.”
A Spotify spokesperson failed to confirm whether the service will get an official launch in the coming weeks and months.
The rollout could provide more problems (we’re not sure if this adds to 99 Problems just yet, but we’ve got the headline on standby) for Tidal.
In January, it was alleged the company had been wildly inflating subscriber numbers in statements to the media.
Whereas Tidal had claimed three million subscribers, only 1.2 million of those were reported internally as paying customers.
Would CD quality audio be worth an extra tenner a month to you? Share your thoughts below.
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
