May 17, 2021
It is rumored that Apple is offering a high-fidelity option in Apple Music that could give subscribers higher bitrate audio streams.
Dubbed as “Apple Music Hi-Fi,” leaks claimed that Apple will release the option on May 18 along with a revised entry-level version of the AirPods.
Various claims point to a lossless audio feature, but some say that the new feature will be in the form of 3D audio that works with Spatial Audio, as offered by the AirPods Pro and AirPods Max.
Record company sources said that the audio streaming service will cost $9.99 per user in addition to Apple’s existing music subscription prices.
Music would be listened to at significantly higher bitrates than traditional tracks. Apple Music usually streams at 256 kbps, but, lossless audio carries even higher streaming bitrates, such as the maximum bitrate of 1,411 kbps from streaming provider Tidal.
This new feature will compete with similar options from Apple Music competitors such as Tidal and Amazon Music, two companies that currently offer lossless audio streams. Spotify HiFi was announced in February but has yet to be rolled out to streamers.
The third generation of AirPods will add new features to the product range that would bring them closer to the AirPod Pro’s. Although full Active Noise Cancellation is not yet available to consumers, it is possible that Spatial Audio could be the latest feature of the new version.
For more information, read the original story in Appleinsider.
