It's been more than four years since Spotify first announced plans to launch a lossless audio layer that hadn't arrived.
After numerous leaks and bullying from company executives, we know better than we begin to expect long delayed services to finally approach their arrival.
However, the newly added references to the code for music apps suggest that lossless services are at least still in development and may even be nearing launch.
According to Technologist and Reverse Engineer Chris Messina, many references to “lossless” appeared in the Spotify desktop app build on Wednesday.
Image credit: Screenshots of Chris Messina
These code snippets primarily refer to help cards that inform end users of what Lossrestier offers and how to use or troubleshoot the services.
For example, one card says “lossless music, now premium,” while another describes it as “the best sound quality of Spotify for music up to 24 bits/44.1 kHz.”
Some cards warn users that certain songs are not available losslessly or that if the device is not connected to low connectivity, it may affect playback. Another note is “It's the “best” on devices compatible with Spotify Connect and/or wired devices.”
Image credit: Screenshots of Chris Messina
Additionally, Reddit user U/Bendotlc noted that other changes were seen in the latest version of the mobile app. Here, the chord “greets the best sound quality on Spotify. Listen to high fidelity music up to 24 bits/44.1 kHz.” Redditor claims that this feature actually exists in the app, but it is currently disabled.
Of course, code references do not mean that lossless features will come soon.
As we've seen in the past years, leaks and code references have appeared previously, but still, no high quality audio layer arrived.
When asked directly about Premium Tier lossless and other plans for recent revenue calls with investors, Spotify executives, including CEO Daniel EK, can only suggest that the company is investing in “superfan” premium products. If these or other high quality streaming options finally launch, they didn't give you a time frame.
More recently, Spotify's Chief Business Officer Alex Norstrom told investors in the first quarter of 2025 call that Spotify is still investing in a larger premium class.
“Now, as we mentioned before, with regard to the higher class, we see great potential in them,” he said. “So creating a higher tier around a new product is something we're working on because it really opens up new opportunities to please users,” Norstrom said at the time.
When Spotify first announced plans for Spotify Hifi, it was called in 2021, so the service said users will provide music in a “CD-quality lossless audio format.” However, over the last few years I had been running lossless options testing.
In the end, Spotify pointed out the licensing issue as the reason for the delay in launch.
As it could be promising news on that front, streamers signed labels and New Deals in early 2025 for Warner Music and Universal Music Group.
Bloomberg also reported earlier this year that Premium Music Protia will be released later in 2025, which includes high-quality streaming, remixes and other features.
Spotify declined to comment on the report.