It’s been over 4 years since Spotify first announced its plans to launch a lossless audio tier that has but to reach.

After quite a few leaks and teases from firm execs, we all know higher than to begin hoping that the long-delayed service might be lastly nearing arrival.

However newly added references within the music app’s code recommend the lossless service is at the very least nonetheless underneath growth and will even be getting nearer to launch.

According to technologist and reverse engineer Chris Messina, quite a lot of references to “lossless” have popped up in Wednesday’s construct of the Spotify desktop app.

These code snippets primarily refer to assist playing cards that would seem to tell the tip person about what the lossless tier affords and tips on how to use or troubleshoot the service.

For example, one card says, “Lossless music, now in premium,” whereas one other describes it because the “greatest sound high quality on Spotify for music in as much as 24-bit/44.1 kHz.”

A few of the playing cards warn customers that specific songs aren’t obtainable in lossless or when their gadget has dangerous connectivity, which may have an effect on playback. One other notes that lossless music is “greatest loved on units appropriate with Spotify Join and/or wired units.”

As well as, Reddit person u/bendotlc noted that different adjustments have been seen within the newest model of the cell app, the place the code now mentions lossless: “Say hi there to the perfect sound high quality on Spotify. Hearken to high-fidelity music in as much as 24-bit/44.1 kHz.” The Redditor claims the function is definitely current within the app, however is at present disabled. (TechCrunch confirmed these claims with information offered by Appsensa, see beneath.)

In fact, code references don’t imply the lossless function is coming anytime quickly.

As we’ve seen in earlier years, leaks and code references have appeared earlier than, and but the high-quality audio tier by no means arrived.

When requested immediately about lossless and different plans for premium tiers on current earnings calls with buyers, Spotify execs, together with CEO Daniel Ek, would solely trace that the corporate was investing in premium merchandise for “tremendous followers.” They wouldn’t give a time-frame on when these or every other higher-quality streaming choices would lastly launch.

Most not too long ago, Spotify Chief Enterprise Officer Alex Norstrom informed buyers on the Q1 2025 name that Spotify was nonetheless investing in additional premium tiers.

“Now, almost about increased tiers, we see nice potential in them as we’ve talked about earlier than,” he stated. “So creating increased tiers round new choices is one thing we’re working in direction of because it actually opens up new alternatives to thrill customers,” Norstrom stated on the time.

When Spotify first announced its plans for Spotify HiFi, because it was then referred to as, in 2021, it stated that the service would supply customers music in “CD-quality, lossless audio format.” It had run tests of a lossless choice within the years earlier than this, nonetheless.

Ultimately, Spotify pointed to licensing issues as the rationale for its delay in launching.

In what might be promising information on that entrance, the streamer signed new offers with labels together with Warner Music and Universal Music Group in early 2025, which may pave the way in which for the lossless tier — or so music followers hope.

Bloomberg additionally reported earlier this yr {that a} premium Music Professional tier would launch later in 2025, which would come with high-quality streaming, remixing, and different options.

Spotify declined to touch upon this report.

Up to date after publication with further information from Spotify’s cell app.