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Spotify has finally delivered on one of its most anticipated promises: the arrival of lossless music to its iPhone app. After years of rumors and delays, the streaming platform has begun offering superior audio quality, designed for those seeking an experience that is more faithful and closer to the original studio sound. This new option, known as “lossless music” or lossless, puts Spotify in the same league as services like Apple Music or Tidal, and promises to significantly improve the listening experience for users with high-end headphones or advanced sound equipment.
With this update, Spotify not only expands its catalog of quality options, but also responds to a constant demand from iPhone users who want to take full advantage of their devices' capabilities. But what does "lossless" really mean? And how do you activate this new feature? Let's take a step-by-step look.
What is lossless music?
Lossless music, or lossless audioLossless audio preserves all the information from the original file without applying compression that reduces sound quality. In other words, when you listen to a song in lossless format, you're hearing virtually the same thing the artist and sound engineers heard in the studio.
So far, Spotify used compressed formats like Ogg Vorbis, which offer good quality with lower data usage, but they sacrifice some of the audio information. With the arrival of the new lossless mode, the service now offers quality of up to 1.411 kbps (similar to an audio CD), and even higher in some cases, which translates into a more detailed sound, with greater dynamic range and better response in bass and treble frequencies.
Of course, to really notice the difference you'll need a good pair of wired headphones or an external DAC, as standard Bluetooth (even with advanced codecs) still introduces compression.
How to activate lossless music
Activating lossless music on Spotify from an iPhone is a simple process. Just make sure you have the latest version of the app installed and follow these steps:
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Opens Spotify and enter the section Configuration.
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Tap on Audio quality.
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Within the menu, select Quality without loss o Lossless, as it appears.
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You can choose this quality for both streaming and downloads.
Spotify warns that listening to music in lossless quality can consume a significant amount of mobile data, so it's recommended to use this option primarily while connected to Wi-Fi or for downloaded songs.
Once activated, the change is immediate: you'll notice a richer, wider, and clearer sound, especially if you use equipment that takes advantage of this quality.
Does lossless music work on wireless CarPlay?
Here comes one of the most important points for iPhone users listening to music in the car. Although Spotify now offers lossless audio, Wireless CarPlay is fully compatible with this quality.
If you want to enjoy lossless audio in your vehicle, simply connect your iPhone via a Lightning cable, USB-C cable, or wirelessly, depending on the model. This way, you'll be able to take advantage of the highest quality Spotify offers.
In the case of Wired CarPlay, the system is capable of transmitting uncompressed audio, so you can enjoy all the detail and rich sound of your favorite songs. In short, you can also enjoy lossless audio through CarPlay; in fact, it will reference it on Spotify.
How much space does a Spotify lossless song take up?
Lossless music comes at a price in terms of storage. By keeping all the information from the original file, the files take up much more space than the compressed versions.
For example, a three-minute song In standard Spotify quality it can take up around 3 to 5 MB, while in lossless quality it can easily reach 30 or 40 MB. If you download large playlists or entire albums, this can take up several gigabytes of space on your iPhone.
Spotify allows you to manage this aspect flexibly: You can keep lossless quality for Wi-Fi playback only and use a lower quality for mobile downloads. You can also always delete downloaded songs from the app's storage menu. If you have an iPhone with 128GB or more, this probably won't be a big issue, but on 64GB models, it's a good idea to monitor the space carefully.
Spotify vs. Apple Music: Which Has Better Lossless Music?
The arrival of lossless audio on Spotify inevitably invites comparisons with Apple Music, its main competitor in the iPhone ecosystem. Both services now offer CD quality or better, but with notable differences in how they manage that experience.
Apple Music has long offered lossless audio and compatibility with Hi-Res Lossless, reaching resolutions up to 24 bits and 192 kHz, although to fully enjoy it an external DAC is required. Additionally, their integration with iOS and the AirPods' H1 chip ensures a smoother experience, although AirPods also don't play lossless audio over Bluetooth.
Spotify, for its part, has opted for a more universal solution. Its lossless mode is available for any compatible device, not just its own products. However, In terms of maximum quality, Apple Music still has a slight advantage. The difference, however, will only be noticeable with high-fidelity equipment; for most listeners, both services offer a more than sufficient leap in quality compared to the compressed versions.
The arrival of lossless audio on Spotify on the iPhone marks a step forward. Important for music lovers. While not everyone will notice the difference, especially with Bluetooth headphones or in noisy environments, those seeking maximum fidelity will now find one more reason to continue using Spotify. Of course, the choice between Spotify and Apple Music will depend on the ecosystem, the type of device, and the importance each user places on the small nuances of sound.