Spotify Launches Lossless Audio — Entering a Competitive Stage Alongside Apple Music in High-Fidelity

Streaming giant Spotify has begun offering high-fidelity "lossless" audio. The move puts it on par with rivals such as Apple Music, which had held an edge on sound quality, and competition among streaming services is entering a new phase.

According to reports, Spotify's lossless delivery supports FLAC up to 24-bit/44.1kHz. Apple Music, meanwhile, offers Hi-Res Lossless up to 24-bit/192kHz, with each company differentiating on the axis of sound quality.

As streaming forms the core of the music market, sound quality is emerging as a selection criterion alongside catalog size and price. High-fidelity support is a competitive area linked to the headphone and audio-equipment markets.

The spread of high-fidelity delivery means the quality of production steps such as mixing and mastering reaches listeners more clearly. For creators, designing sound with delivery formats in mind grows more important.

Sound-quality competition is not just a short-term talking point; it may influence listeners' playback environments and service choices over the medium to long term. Feature expansions can raise the overall user experience.

The evolution of delivery formats is an opportunity for independent creators to rethink how they deliver their work. The ZEN editorial team will continue to organize the feature trends of each DSP.

Source: based on public reporting by Forbes JAPAN and various music-streaming comparison media.