Spotify Web Player launches in beta mode – but it's lower sound quality for now

Spotify Web Player has launched in public beta mode allowing you to access Spotify's streaming music service through your web browser without downloading any software.

Launched in beta, there are unsurprisingly a few things missing from the Spotify Web Player experience for now, notably the highest sound quality offering and various other apps and features.

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Firstly, there's no sign of the higher quality streamimg modes on the Spotify Web Player. The highest 'Extreme' sound quality mode gives you access to 320kbps streaming music on the desktop and app versions of Spotify.

There's no high quality sound option on the Spotify Web Player, so we presume it's on the lower 160kbps bitrate.

A Spotify spokesperson posted on the Spotify community forum: "We're currently not offering a high-bitrate option, and unfortunately I can't commit to when it will be coming although it is something that we're talking about for the future."

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Users have also compiled a list of other Spotify Web Player missing features including Last.fm scrobbling, local file support, apps and offline playback.

Spotify has made clear the Web Player is in beta mode, so it's no surprise that not all the features are available immediately.

Rival services such as Deezer and Rdio already offer fully-fledged web players, running alongside desktop and app versions, so a web-based Spotify has been on the cards for some time.

You can try the Spotify Web Player online now.

written by Joe Cox

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Joe Cox
Content Director

Joe is Content Director for T3 and What Hi-Fi?, having previously been the Global Editor-in-Chief of What Hi-Fi?. He has worked on What Hi-Fi? across the print magazine and website for more than 15 years, writing news, reviews and features on everything from turntables to TVs, headphones to hi-fi separates. He has covered product launch events across the world, from Apple to Technics, Sony and Samsung; reported from CES, the Bristol Show, and Munich High End for many years; and written for sites such as the BBC, Stuff, and the Guardian. In his spare time, he enjoys expanding his vinyl collection and cycling (not at the same time).