Where is Spotify HiFi?

[JaspisB]

The year is almost over and no HiFi in sight. No news. No communication. Nothing. What's going on? Some info would be nice. 

[pabeadle]

I just started a 3 month trial with Apple Music. their app design is horrible but the audio quality (lossless) is way better. As a long time Spotify Premium subscriber, i'd like to stay, but quality is a big deal for me. 

[MafeG]

Hi folks,

Thank you for reaching out to the Community. 

At this moment, we don't have any information regarding the availability of HiFi music. 

Any news or updates about this will surely be published in the blog For the Record and in this idea, so make sure to add your Vote+ to stay up to date with any relevant development.

Let us know if you have any questions.

[Blueshound24]

edit

[Blueshound24]

"At this moment, we don't have any information regarding the availability of HiFi music" -  MafeG   -   MafeG 

Really? Car manufacturers know what their new models steering wheel will look like 5 years from now, and Spotify cannot even say when they will offer Hifi when it was promised almost a year ago? You can't tell me this hasn't been all thought out and planned for. If not, Spotify's service planning is as bad as their communication to their customers. 

An example is this 7+ year old thread with the most upvotes of any requested feature, and it has had maybe TWO Spotify moderator comments in those 7 years! That is unacceptable in anyone's mind for customer service.

https://community.spotify.com/t5/Live-Ideas/All-Platforms-Music-HiFi-Quality-Lossless-Streaming-16bi...

[施梧權]

I hope spotify hifi doesn't forget about Malaysian users!

[Innocent_Excel]

I think by this overlooking the requested idea, the most voted (total votes over 25k) idea and Spotify still can't bring any update on the matter. Spotify is going to lose a lot of customers in the coming months and weeks due to empty promises. I've used Spotify since the birth of it but maybe now I will gladly unsubscribe and use another service that treats customers and artists better.

[LawLee]

I think they're focused on the wrong things. Audio books is not what I'm interested in. i've already bought Chromecast receiver and if they don't deliver this year I'm probably going to Quobuz or Amazon.

[JaspisB]

No news and two weeks left of the year in which it was promised? No. No, that's not a solution. That's embarrassing.

[PCorreia]

Last Feb. 2021 you guys have officially announced HIFI was coming until the end of the year.

We all know that plans change and things happen BUT not even being transparent and communicating with your paying customers is just arrogant and wrong! Many levels of wrong!

If you were more focused on improving your service instead of wasting time attacking Apple (which already have lossless stream), maybe many things were already a reality. But considering this HIFI situation and the fact that iPhone users are waiting for a landscape mode since 2013, I think that you need to be pulled down of your streaming monopoly high horse to reconnect with reality.

I'm a premium subscriber of Spotify for years but I'm REALLY considering changing to Apple Music at the beginning of 2022, I've even started to migrate my playlists.

Truth is that I gave you guys plenty of time for you to deliver on your promises but I now see that there's a pattern with your company: promises, promises, and promises. Barely anything is delivered and when it is it takes forever and comes out buggy as **bleep**.

If you want to keep me as a paying client you need to do better.

MUCH better!

EDIT:  As of March 22, 2022, I moved to Apple Music after MANY years as a Spotify client. Congratulations, you guys managed to lose yet another client because of your empty promises. And btw, Apple Music sound quality runs in circles around your OGG-Vorbis compressed sound.

[Blueshound24]

I wanted to echo this post from subscriber @RN8 from this other thread, https://community.spotify.com/t5/Live-Ideas/All-Platforms-Music-HiFi-Quality-Lossless-Streaming-16bi.... 

Exactly right that a simple message that the service is delayed because of xxx would go a long way.

"One day I hope to learn why Spotify adopted a communication strategy of absolute silence regarding the hifi launch. This seems so strange. It must be clear to them that many people care greatly about this service, including me. It’s clear to everyone by now that something went wrong with the original February plan. Why not manage customer expectations? It seems that any news at this time is better then no news at all. I totally understand hifi is a complex effort that could have gotten delayed for a number of reasons. A simple message that the service is delayed until sometime in 2022 because of x would go a long way. This is really strange."

[vebaev]

Well….. 10 days to go and Apple Music waits me LOL 😂 

[corbinhere]

The year of silence on this is really inexcusable. I've invested a lot of time in Spotify, building playlists, engaging with artists, and have consistently been in the top 10% of the listeners in the US. You guys can't just tease out this highly anticipated feature by bringing Billie Eilish in to pump things up and then leave us hanging...it's ridiculous.

I got impatient during the wait and decided to try out Tidal (again) because I've upgraded my system over the years and want the guarantee of high quality files across the catalog. The longer I use Tidal the less reason I'm seeing to continue my Spotify Premium membership. 

It really sucks because I've loved Spotify for so many years but the lack of communication while you guys focus on the stupid initiatives like the Car Thing that nobody asked for is super frustrating.

[Milemar]

Either Spotify shot itself in a heel and will lose tremendous numbers of users going to Tidal/Deezer/Apple etc. or surprisingly will announce the availability of HIFI on 31.12/01.01.

I have been a Spotify Premium Family member for many years. I can wait another 8 days to deliver what was promised and if not, I will get used to the new player for other providers.

[woodandrew90]

"At this moment, we don't have any information regarding the availability of HiFi music"

Well, that is hardly aligned with Spotify’s commitment to provide such a service during 2021…..!!!!  Not only do we have not this (promised) service, but at the end of 2021 you don’t even have any information (if? When? Pathetic excuse for failing to deliver?).

I have been a premium family member since numerous years but I will not be continuing. 

[LawLee]

Another exasperating article:

"we have one question: Spotify, where the **bleep** is the HiFi streaming tier that you teased way back in February?"
Spotify's HiFi Is Still MIA (gizmodo.com) 

[LawLee]

Dear Spotify,

As a fan of your service please consider this with all sincerity. I'm clearly in the upper 4% of your listeners. Last year I logged a little over 1133 hours listening to content. Spotify Connect and your app are brilliantly implemented. Your library and algorithms for discovery are enviable. Top of the pole. I love Spotify. 

I also love well mastered music. One of these is winning out. After auditioning Amazon Music, Apple Music, Qobuz, Tidal, and Deezer I can no longer justify staying with Spotify.

After auditioning high resolution music, I tend to agree with your focus point; that CD quality is optimal. For data usage and source material availability today it's the sweet spot. That’s all I want. I listen to Spotify music on my two Yamaha Aventage 5.1 equipped home theater receivers, as well as a plethora of high-fidelity mobile devices. The sound difference between compressed and lossless music is akin to the difference between listening to mono versus stereo. For some recordings the difference is breathtakingly apparent. I for one, would be willing to pay an additional charge for lossless. I like your service very much.

As you are no doubt aware every major streaming service has lossless now, but your service and Pandora. You've lost the pole position. I suspect there will be a more pronounced erosion of your market share to your competitors because of this misstep. You are becoming Pandora 2.0.

I am not interested in buying concert tickets through your app. I am not interested in listening to audiobooks through your app. The quickly tacked-on and poorly implemented lyrics feature seems like a bit of misdirection. Your service is starting to look a lot like Facebook. That’s not a compliment. In my opinion, I think you’re moving in the wrong direction.

Are you hoping that all of these things will distract your user base from the fact that you didn’t deliver what many want, and what you promised?

You didn't hold up your end of the bargain. You committed to doing something; bringing CD quality to your listeners this year. You’ve been teasing this since 2017.

I committed to doing something; paying you for your service. I can't in good conscience hold up my end of our agreement when you haven't held up yours.

It's clear you don't want my business, I don't want to subsidize yours for without the value I desire. I am ending my paid subscription. I will subscribe to Amazon and Qobuz instead. Regards… 

[Blueshound24]

Well said  LawLee !

And actually Spotify marked lossless CD quality music a 'good idea' way back in 2014 at the start of this thread...

https://community.spotify.com/t5/Live-Ideas/All-Platforms-Music-HiFi-Quality-Lossless-Streaming-16bi...

[Nir888]

where is spotify hifi?

[LawLee]

Spotify promised to add Hifi a year ago. Where is it? - Hypebot

"But baring an unlikely surprise holiday announcement, 2021 is drawing to a close without the launch of Spotify HiFi."

By Great Pumpkin, I mean Spotify Hifi... time to move on to a different patch...