Nobody can blame you when you’ve given up on Spotify HiFi ever changing into a factor. It’s been two years since the initial announcement. Nonetheless, all hope just isn’t misplaced because the streaming service lately confirmed that it’s nonetheless engaged on the high-res audio tier.
This information comes from Spotify co-president Gustav Söderström who sat down for an interview (opens in new tab) on TheVerge’s podcast, Decoder. Confirming HiFi’s existence was just about the one straight reply he gave as the remainder of the responses have been obscure at finest. Based on Söderström, the explanation why the tier is taking so lengthy is that the “trade modified and [Spotify] needed to adapt”, however doesn’t elaborate any additional. He does trace at the price of HiFi and offers with music labels as being two main elements to the delay, and once more, would not elaborate any additional.
Söderström goes on to say Spotify needs to do one thing “distinctive” with HiFi and never “unnecessarily commoditize” itself by “[doing] what everybody else does”. When requested about an anticipated launch date and help for spatial audio, Söderström remained tight-lipped. There will likely be a “Spotify HiFi lossless-type expertise in some unspecified time in the future” sooner or later, nonetheless, that’s all of the co-president was prepared to disclose.
Chasing tendencies
Söderström’s touch upon needing to adapt to a altering trade is arguably probably the most telling in that entire trade as a result of it’s emblematic of the corporate’s current strikes. Pinning the delay of Spotify HiFi on not wanting to repeat different platforms is relatively ironic if you consider it. For starters, the streaming service is currently rolling out a redesign for its cell app taking clear inspiration from TikTok. It now sports activities a vertical discovery feed as a method to encourage folks to take a look at the most recent songs or widespread podcasts. You even have Spotify incorporating tech from OpenAI in its new DJ feature to simulate a real-life radio DJ. Whereas these additions are nice and every thing, do users really want the TikTok experience and generative AI? From what we’ve seen, probably not.
It seems the platform is extra concerned with rising its media library over offering HiFi. Spotify has grown its podcast content exponentially alongside real-time transcriptions. Additionally, the audiobook feed has a brand new preview characteristic the place customers can take heed to a guide for 5 minutes earlier than buying. All this and nonetheless no high-res audio, not less than any time quickly. We requested Spotify if it may inform us extra about its HiFi tier – something in any respect. This story will likely be up to date at a later time.
If you wish to get high-res audio, there’s a method to do it with the suitable set of gadgets. You’ll want to try TechRadar’s information on how to buy into high-res audio without the high prices.
Discussion about this post