Spotify is finally preparing to finally launch its long awaited Hi-Fi service over the next 12 months with 2025 being the target date. First announced in 2017, the high-fidelity audio tier has come with at least as many setbacks as expected for lossless music streaming, very soon. Well, a new report now confirms that Spotify Hi-Fi officially drops next year as part of a new premium offering.
Spotify Hi-Fi Set for 2025 Launch After Years of Delays
Spotify is planning a new subscription plan, Music Pro, which will include something greater than Hi-Fi audio, as per Bloomberg. Remixing in real time is the major key that they will be using an AI powered tool to allow users to customize songs. Besides that, subscribers may be given exclusive perks, for instance, early or discounted concert tickets.
And it comes as competitors Apple Music and Tidal already offer lossless audio at no extra cost. The fact that Spotify seem to want to begin charging for higher quality streaming instead of simply making it a regular feature is the reason why they have chosen to make Hi-Fi a part of the premium segment. As for pricing specifics for Music Pro, they are unclear.
Yet even after all that waiting, Spotify’s Hi-Fi service is still likely to appeal to audiophiles and fans of music who value its purity. Yet Spotify Music Pro is obviously intended for a wider audience than merely those looking for top quality audio, with there being AI-powered remixer tools included and concert ticket benefits.
Spotify has an official launch scheduled for 2025 and will have to demonstrate that Music Pro plan has enough value that you can pay more than you would for a regular subscription. Hi-Fi audio and AI features may be nice but will users feel comfortable spending an extra amount to use them depending on what free lossless service they’re using is yet to be seen.
Spotify’s Music Pro Subscription to Offer Hi-Fi Audio for $5.99
Among the new premier offerings that Spotify is reportedly about to launch is a premium add-on called Music Pro which — according to sources — will be priced at $5.99 per month on top of an existing subscription. The final pricing and what date the service is to debut have not yet been announced, but this service is expected to launch sometime later this year. This is Spotify’s latest attempt to expand beyond its core music audience and monetize them.
Spotify is currently in negotiations with major music labels to secure the rights needed to then make Music Pro possible. Furthermore, the company is looking into how to combine the sale of concert tickets, giving subscribers prime access or special seating locations. This could assist in making Music Pro more enticing than simply superior sound quality.
The move by Spotify to drum up a higher priced tier is in the heels of the industry trend of record labels pressuring streaming platforms to offer more expensive plans. With steady music streaming growth coming to a halt in mature markets, Spotify and others are in need of new sources of revenue without losing their customers' interest. One such strategy is the Music Pro tier.
Spotify has recently grown its content offering with audiobooks and recently price adjusted for years, although remained stable. Still following the trend, after this, we have given birth to Music Pro, strictly targeted to music fans refining their audio quality and having exclusive perks line.
While Apple Music and Tidal currently provide lossless audio at no extra charge, Spotify believes that it is offering too much: extra features like AI powered tools and ticketing perks will be worth the extra cost. There is still time for users to consume the company’s Music Pro, but it illustrates how Spotify is trying to reinvent its premium tiers.
Spotify’s Music Pro: A Long-Awaited Hi-Fi Upgrade
First launched as a paid tier of Spotify back in 2011, the Music Pro premium service has been perfected by Spotify for years and fine tuned in terms of features, while in the meantime the company has negotiated major record label licensing deals. A lot of competitors such as Apple Music, Amazon Music Unlimited, Tidal provide high resolution audio but Spotify has chosen a slightly different lane, ensuring what it offers is what is expected with you and its business model.
Spotify, which has over 675 million users and 250 million paid subscribers, is still the leadership player as far as music streaming is concerned. Having a much large subscriber base than one’s actual competitors gives the company some leverage to introduce new pricing tiers without a drastic impact on user retention. This, however, also requires Spotify to carefully weigh how much to add and how much to cut to maintain its service as attractive.
Unlike its rivals, Spotify Music Pro is not simply offering Hi-Fi audio, but also comes with AI powered remixing features and perhaps perks of early access to concert tickets. This implies that Spotify understands Music Pro to be a premium music experience above just sound quality, suggesting those users who wish for a deeper engagement with their music are its audience.
Long waiting for Spotify Hi-Fi annoyed some users, given that competing platforms now offer lossless audio. But if Music Pro makes good on its promises and raises the $5.99 a month price it would win a huge amount of subscribers.
The introduction of a higher-tier plan by Spotify is ultimately a response by the streaming industry to try and generate new revenue and cater to the more dedicated music fan. Whether Music Pro can attract people away from free Hi-Fi options is up in the air, but it will depend on how much extra value it pushes over top of simple high quality sound.
