Spotify finally responds to queries over HiFi launch delay
An imminent launch of the new lossless tier seems increasingly unlikely

Back in February 2021, Spotify announced its intention to launch its eagerly anticipated Spotify HiFi tier, promising to deliver the service to users by the end of the year. That self-imposed deadline came and went without any statement from the company, but Spotify has now finally responded to appeals from its users in a thread on the Spotify Community website.
In a short reply, Spotify empathised with frustrated subscribers, re-affirming that the new service was forthcoming, but it stopped short of committing to a new timeline saying, “we don’t have timing details to share yet".
The full message from Spotify says:
We know that HiFi quality audio is important to you. We feel the same, and we’re excited to deliver a Spotify HiFi experience to Premium users in the future. But we don’t have timing details to share yet.
We will of course update you here when we can.
So, the wait continues. When it does materialise, Spotify’s HiFi tier will allow Spotify Premium subscribers the option to ‘upgrade’ their membership providing access to higher-quality streams. The platform remains the only major streaming service not to offer music at lossless quality, with rivals Tidal, Qobuz, Amazon, Deezer and Apple Music all supporting at least CD-quality streams.
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Mary is a staff writer at What Hi-Fi? and has over a decade of experience working as a sound engineer mixing live events, music and theatre. Her mixing credits include productions at The National Theatre and in the West End, as well as original musicals composed by Mark Knopfler, Tori Amos, Guy Chambers, Howard Goodall and Dan Gillespie Sells.