Spotify 'HiFi' audio control, error messages uncovered by user

By William Gallagher

A user has found and been able to use a new "HiFi" button in the Spotify app, ahead of the music streaming company's launch of lossless audio.

Spotify

Months before Apple announced that Apple Music would move to lossless audio tracks, Spotify revealed it would be offering higher-quality audio too. The company said only that it would launch during 2021, but a new finding suggests the launch may be imminent.

Within the Spotify iOS app, Reddit user "themonarc" has discovered a unannounced new "HiFi" button can be triggered. "I successfully opened the 'HiFi' menu by quickly tapping the glitched icon upon app launch," wrote "themonarc" on Reddit.

The steps, revealed in a GIF, shows the control appearing after using the Spotify app and switching back and forth to the Now Playing screen.

The new "HiFi" button as been spotted in Apple Music (source: Reddit)

A series of explanatory screens are then shown, most likely only on the first launch, which explain more about playing music on wired speakers, or Bluetooth ones.

"We want you to enjoy an uninterrupted listening experience," says one message. "That's why we automatically adjust you from HiFi to lower audio quality when you have poor bandwidth."

It's possible that Spotify has since accelerated its move to lossless in response to Apple's move. Amazon, which has offered a lossless option since 2019, cut its prices and extended its free trial just ahead of Apple's announcement.

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