Spotify launches lossless audio for Premium users after years of delay

Spotify has finally announced the introduction of lossless audio streaming, marking the end of a lengthy period of anticipation and delays that began with its initial tease in 2017. The feature, which was reiterated in 2021, has faced numerous postponements, leading to skepticism among users. Now, the streaming giant reveals that all Spotify Premium subscribers in selected markets will gain access to this feature over the next two months, all at no extra charge. In a departure from competitors like Apple Music and Tidal, which offer high-quality audio in tiered subscription plans, Spotify will integrate lossless audio into its existing Premium subscription without introducing new pricing structures. The initial rollout will target users in various countries, including Australia, Austria, Czechia, Denmark, Germany, Japan, New Zealand, the Netherlands, Portugal, Sweden, the US, and the UK, with plans to expand to approximately 50 additional countries soon. Once the feature is available, Spotify users will receive in-app notifications. To activate lossless streaming, subscribers can navigate to the media quality settings in the app. A visual indicator will appear in the Now Playing bar and the Connect Picker to confirm when lossless streaming is enabled. At launch, lossless playback will be supported by devices from major brands like Sony, Bose, Samsung, and Sennheiser, while compatibility with Sonos and Amazon devices is anticipated next month. Spotify's lossless audio capability reaches a maximum of 24-bit / 44.1 kHz FLAC, which is akin to CD-quality sound. While services like Apple Music, Tidal, and Qobuz offer Hi-Res FLAC up to 24-bit / 192 kHz, the difference is often imperceptible to the average listener without high-end audio equipment. Nonetheless, this limitation leaves the door open for Spotify to potentially introduce an advanced tier aimed at audiophiles in the future. This strategic move positions Spotify ahead of YouTube Music, which currently lacks lossless support, with Google showing no signs of implementing changes in that area.