Spotify, the leading music streaming service, is set to introduce a new premium tier with enhanced features, including higher-quality audio. The announcement was made during the company's second-quarter 2024 earnings call by CEO Daniel Ek. According to reports, the upcoming tier will likely cost around $17 or $18 per month and offer lossless audio and more control compared to the current premium tier.
The development of Spotify HiFi, as it is being called, has been in progress since early 2021. Ek confirmed during the call that consumers have been asking for this feature and that the company believes there is a large subset of its 246 million subscribers who want it.
Spotify's competitors, such as Apple Music and Amazon Music, already offer high-resolution audio tiers. Spotify's move to introduce a similar offering is seen as an effort to stay competitive in the market.
The new premium tier is expected to provide a much better version of Spotify with higher quality audio across the board. Ek described it as a deluxe version of the service that will offer more control and advanced features for music lovers.
Spotify's decision to introduce a more expensive premium tier comes after the company posted record-breaking quarterly results following price increases in its US subscription plans. The company has also announced layoffs and initiatives to boost top-line growth and improve margins, such as a music-only streaming tier and audiobooks-only plan.
The exact features of the new premium tier have not been announced yet, but Ek did mention that it will offer lossless audio. He also hinted at other advanced tools for creating playlists and managing libraries.
Spotify's move to introduce a more expensive premium tier is a response to consumer demand and competition from rivals. The company believes that there is a large subset of its subscribers who are willing to pay extra for higher-quality audio and advanced features. With the new premium tier, Spotify aims to offer a much better version of its service and cater to the needs of music lovers.