What's Happening?
Spotify has announced the rollout of its long-awaited lossless audio streaming feature for premium subscribers. This new offering allows users to stream music in up to 24-bit/44.1 kHz FLAC quality, which preserves the original audio quality without compression. The feature is being introduced in over 50 countries, including the United States, United Kingdom, and several others across Europe and Asia. The rollout comes after years of delays due to licensing issues, and follows similar offerings from competitors like Apple Music and Amazon Music.
Why It's Important?
The introduction of lossless audio streaming by Spotify marks a significant enhancement in the quality of music available to its users, potentially attracting audiophiles and those seeking superior sound quality. This move positions Spotify to better compete with rivals such as Apple Music and Amazon Music, which have already offered lossless audio options. For the music industry, this could lead to increased revenue opportunities as users may be willing to pay more for higher quality streaming. Artists and songwriters might also benefit from higher royalties associated with premium streaming tiers.
What's Next?
Spotify's rollout of lossless audio is expected to continue through October, with more markets gaining access. Users will need to manually enable the feature on each device, and it is not available for Bluetooth-connected devices due to bandwidth limitations. The company may face challenges in ensuring widespread adoption and satisfaction among users, especially given the larger file sizes and potential delays in playback. Additionally, Spotify may explore further enhancements to its premium offerings to maintain competitiveness in the streaming market.
