Spotify’s leaked Lossless plan could work, if it is ever released

Spotify might be one of the most popular music streaming apps available on Androidbut for the longest time, its users have had only one request and the company has failed to deliver so far — HiFi lossless audio streaming. Currently, Spotify users can choose from four streaming quality settings ranging from low to very high, but rumors about a Supremium subscription with a higher price tag for access to 24-bit lossless audio have been doing the rounds since 2021 when Spottify teased it. Besides sporadic developments, we haven’t heard much, until now.

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Approximately three years since that initial announcementthere is no sign of usable HiFi streaming for Spotify users, leaving audiophiles reliant on rival services like Deezer and Apple Music. However, Redditor /u/OhItsTom recently shared a few screenshots from Spotify’s desktop and mobile clients suggesting lossless audio streaming is very much on the company’s radar, and development is ongoing (via Android Authority).

Only a rebrand can save this tier now

Leaked screenshots of the sidebar in the desktop app with information on the Lossless tier

Since Spotify’s rumored Supremium tier promising HiFi streaming for $20 per month has kept users on edge for long, it is likely the company will rebrand the new quality tier to Lossless, the latest leak suggests. The sidebar seen in the desktop screenshots suggest the new Lossless tier will stream at up to 2117 kbps, consuming 15.9MB from your internet quota every minute. In comparison, the current maximum streaming quality, very high, tops out at a measly 320 kbps, using just 2MB of data per minute.

Since lossless streaming would tax your internet bandwidth, the UI also reveals an integrated compatibility checker of sorts. It checks if your streaming hardware is HiFi compatible and also features a warning to use wired headphones or earbuds because Bluetooth wireless protocols cannot transmit lossless sound perfectly.

Screenshots introducing the feature in the mobile app

This Redditor also shared a bunch of mobile screenshots which show repetitive use of Lossless branding. The screenshots could correspond to a user onboarding presentation when someone upgrades to the new tier, but they don’t reveal much besides what’s already mentioned in the leaked desktop version. That said, it does mention all Lossless tracks will have a unique indicator label indicative of the high-quality stream. Moreover, users will have access to a troubleshooter to identify why Lossless streaming is unavailable.

While the leak doesn’t specify any launch timelines, it is tacit confirmation of ongoing development efforts. Hopefully, Spotify pulls the trigger on the rebranding, and launches lossless streaming on priority instead of focusing on AI features and paywalling lyrics.