Spotify is testing a new lossless streaming version of its platform for high-fidelity audio fanatics.
The new service, called Spotify Hi-Fi, was spotted by some users yesterday during what appears to be an A/B pricing strategy test that offered different users the premium service for $5, $7.50 or $10 USD. Users reported the new occurrence on Twitter, Reddit and directly to The Verge.
Anyone get this invitation for Spotify Hi-Fi? Looks awesome! pic.twitter.com/2aeYXMIHJD
— Cody Kloepfer (@Semantics) March 1, 2017
Lossless audio, touted by Jay-Z’s streaming platform Tidal, means that users receive perfect copies of the song that are compressed to stream efficiently, but without any quality loss.
The difference in sound is negligible when listened to through standard headphones, but for those with a headphone amp and premium headphones may be able to hear an improvement. The amount of listeners drawn to this type of service will likely be small, but at an increased price, it could be a smart way for Spotify to gain revenue from its audiophile users.
As this subscription model is still in the testing phase, it’s unclear whether it will make it to Canada or when Canadians could expect to see the service. Currently, Spotify offers an ad-free premium service for $9.99 CAD and a family version of Spotify Premium that provides up to six accounts for $14.99.
Update March 2nd – A previous version of this article stated that the Spotify student subscription for $4.99 was available in Canada. It is not, and the post has been updated accordingly.
Source: The Verge
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