Nobody can blame you when you’ve given up on Spotify HiFi ever changing into a factor. It’s been two years for the reason that preliminary announcement. Nevertheless, all hope 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 imprecise 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, does not elaborate any additional.

Söderström goes on to say Spotify desires 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 can 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 expose.

Chasing developments

Söderström’s touch upon needing to adapt to a altering trade is arguably essentially the most telling in that entire alternate 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 reasonably ironic if you concentrate on it. For starters, the streaming service is presently rolling out a redesign for its cellular app taking clear inspiration from TikTok. It now sports activities a vertical discovery feed as a option to encourage individuals to take a look at the newest songs or widespread podcasts. You even have Spotify incorporating tech from OpenAI in its new DJ function to simulate a real-life radio DJ. Whereas these additions are nice and every little thing, do customers actually need the TikTok expertise and generative AI? From what we’ve seen, not likely.

It seems the platform is extra fascinated with rising its media library over offering HiFi. Spotify has grown its podcast content material exponentially alongside real-time transcriptions. Additionally, the audiobook feed has a brand new preview function the place customers can take heed to a e book for 5 minutes earlier than buying. All this and nonetheless no high-res audio, a minimum of any time quickly. We requested Spotify if it may inform us extra about its HiFi tier – something in any respect. This story can be up to date at a later time.

If you wish to get high-res audio, there’s a option to do it with the suitable set of gadgets. Be sure you take a look at TechRadar’s information on the best way to purchase into high-res audio with out the excessive costs.