In February, the Swedish music streaming giant Spotify revealed its plans to introduce a Hi-Fi CD-quality, lossless audio tier later this year. If a new report is anything to go by, it looks like Apple is planning to follow suit and introduce an Apple Music Hi-Fi tier, probably even before Spotify does.
Apple Music Hi-Fi Tier?
The rumor comes from Hits Daily Double (via MacRumors) citing music label sources. As per the report, Apple is likely to announce the new Hi-Fi tier in the coming weeks. One key factor worth noting here is the price. While Spotify Hi-Fi is expected to be costlier than its regular plans, Apple Music may offer Hi-Fi at the same $9.99 price point.
Furthermore, the report claims that Apple is likely to announce the Hi-Fi tier alongside the third generation of AirPods. According to leaks and rumors so far, the third generation of AirPods will adopt AirPods Pro-like design. However, it will miss out on features unique to the AirPods Pro such as ANC. While we don’t know when exactly Apple plans to launch this alleged Hi-Fi tier and new AirPods, the company’s virtual WWDC 2021 event is set for June first week. Maybe we will hear something about them on stage.
When Apple Music and Spotify get Hi-Fi tier, we could expect Tidal to take a hit. Tidal’s unique selling point is Hi-Fi audio and is the go-to music streaming service for Hi-Fi audio right now. Apart from Tidal, Amazon Music offers Hi-Fi audio streaming in some regions.
So, will you consider switching to Apple Music for Hi-Fi audio at the same cost? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
Absolutely…..it’s music to my ears, and frankly, long overdue. After 25 plus years of prioritizing convenience over sound quality, it will be nice to see Apple taking music and art a bit more seriously.