Intel Stock Surges as AI Chip Demand Drives Strong Q2 Forecast 
SK Hynix to Invest $13 Billion in AI Chip Packaging Facility 
Florida Investigates OpenAI and ChatGPT Over Alleged Role in FSU Shooting 
Amazon Stock Rises as Meta Expands AWS Partnership for AI Infrastructure 
Kakaku.com Stock Surges on EQT Takeover Interest Amid Rising Japan Deal Activity 
SK Hynix Reports Record Q1 Profit Surge Driven by AI Memory Chip Demand 
Elon Musk Signals Intel 14A Chips for Tesla’s Terafab AI Semiconductor Venture 
Daiichi Sankyo Stock Drops After Earnings Delay and Oncology Review 
Meta Expands AI Training With Employee Activity Tracking Tools 
DeepSeek Launches V4 AI Models with Enhanced Reasoning and 1M Token Context Window 
$16B Michigan Data Center Project Boosts U.S. AI Infrastructure Expansion 
John Ternus Signals Apple’s Future with Product-First AI Strategy 
Hyundai Plans 20 New Models in China to Boost EV Strategy and Market Share 
U.S. Raises Alarm Over Chinese AI Firms’ Alleged IP Theft Through Model Distillation 
Florida Launches Criminal Probe Into OpenAI Over FSU Shooting Incident 
Brazil Blocks Prediction Market Platforms, Tightens Derivatives Trading Rules 
Judge Dismisses Elon Musk’s Fraud Claims Against OpenAI, Trial to Proceed on Remaining Allegations 
It has been 20 months since Spotify first announced that it is bringing HiFi music streaming to its platform. While the company has yet to provide an update on when it will launch, the feature makes a surprise appearance in a recent survey that also suggested a $20 'Platinum' tier could be in the works.
A Reddit user, who goes by u/nearlymind, reported they canceled their Spotify subscription and was then asked to answer a survey. They were asked if they would consider switching back to Spotify, specifically to a "Platinum" tier, in the "next 30 days." The duration mentioned has got other Reddit users speculating the new membership plan could be launched by November.
It is worth noting that, currently, Spotify Premium is only available in three subscription plans — Individual ($9.99), Duo ($12.99), and Family ($15.99). The survey then suggests that the streaming giant is, at least, considering launching a new tier that could be called Platinum.
As the name suggests, the unannounced Platinum tier could be the most expensive Spotify Premium plan. But the higher price may be explained by a host of new features it could offer. The same survey listed several features that do not exist in any of the plans Spotify currently offers, and one of them is HiFi streaming.
Spotify first announced its plans to introduce HiFi audio in February 2021 with a video teaser featuring Billie Eilish. To this day, though, Spotify has yet to confirm if it will be available to all Premium subscribers without additional cost. Its rivals, including Apple Music, have already added lossless and HiFi streaming without changing subscription prices.
The rumored Spotify Platinum tier, however, may launch with other features aimed at audiophiles. The survey also listed Studio Sound, Headphone Tuner, Audio Insights, Library Pro, Playlist Pro, and access to limited ad-supported podcasts. Unfortunately, the survey did not include any description of these features. But the mention of "Library Pro" and "Playlist Pro" has got some Spotify users worried that the company will remove basic library and profile management features from Spotify Free or the lower-priced Premium tiers.
It remains to be seen, though, if Spotify will go ahead and launch a Platinum tier. It is not strange for the company to ask users to answer surveys about new products even though there are no immediate plans to bring them to the platform. But it is a good indication that Spotify has not completely forgotten about its promise to deliver HiFi streaming.
Photo by Thibault Penin on Unsplash
