MEXICO CITY, October 17 (EL UNIVERSAL) .- Is Spotify’s long-awaited HiFi streaming level finally approaching its debut? A survey sent to at least one user suggests the company hasn’t forgotten about it and that HiFi could be included in a new, more expensive “Platinum” plan that would come with other benefits.
On the Reddit platform, a former Spotify subscriber shared screenshots of a survey he was recently asked to answer.
The questionnaire asked if they would return or switch to service under the new plan levels. The usual free and individual options are shown, but the survey also mentions a $ 19.99 Platinum tier which would bring back the standard paid perks by adding HiFi and additional features called Studio Sound, Headphone Tuner, Audio Insights, Library Pro, and Playlist Pro. The new plan would also limit commercial breaks for Spotify’s original podcast library.
The survey showed several versions of the Platinum plan. In one case, it also included access to audiobooks, which Spotify began selling in September. That theoretical plan raised the price even more.
Spotify HiFi was originally announced in February 2021, and at the time, the company said it would launch late last year. This never happened and Spotify has remained radio silent about the status of the feature ever since, refusing to provide substantial updates.
Meanwhile, Apple has brought high-resolution, lossless audio to Apple Music at no additional cost. Some believe this move caught Spotify off guard (it’s possible the company initially hoped to charge more for premium sound) and led to the postponement of HiFi.
The survey idea of splitting HiFi into a more expensive plan would support this theory. Amazon Music now also includes lossless streaming in its standard subscription plan.
As for the other features mentioned in the survey, “Studio Sound” may be the Spotify brand for Dolby Atmos / 360 Reality immersive audio, but I’m just spitting there.
It also appears that the company may reserve advanced library and playlist features exclusively for the Platinum tier.
