Spotify Launches Lossless in India; Adds Premium Platinum Tier

Spotify has introduced lossless audio streaming in India, alongside a reorganisation of its subscription plans into Premium Lite, Standard, Platinum, and Student tiers. The new Premium Platinum plan, priced at ₹299, offers FLAC lossless playback (up to 24-bit/44.1 kHz), Spotify’s AI DJ feature, and multi-seat access. Other plans support streaming quality up to 320 kbps. Spotify has noted that lossless streaming requires significantly more data usage and has not yet clarified if users must enable this feature manually.

Plans, Pricing, and User Impact

Spotify’s premium offerings now include Premium Lite at ₹139, Premium Standard at ₹199, Premium Platinum at ₹299, and Premium Student at ₹99. Lossless FLAC playback and advanced AI features are exclusive to the Platinum tier. Audiophiles, podcasters, and DJs may benefit most, while casual and price-sensitive listeners face trade-offs as Family and Duo plans have been retired, consolidating premium features into a more expensive tier. Lossless streaming also consumes more data, around 1GB per hour for 24-bit/44.1 kHz playback, posing challenges for mobile users.

Strategic Focus on AI and Market Challenges

Spotify’s strategy reflects a two-tier approach: affordable access for mass users and a high-margin tier combining high-fidelity audio, AI personalisation, and pro tools. AI-powered features like the AI DJ and playlist creation enhance the premium offering. Adoption in India will depend on data affordability, Wi-Fi availability, and consumers’ willingness to pay more for enhanced sound and smarter features.

Market Implications and Future Outlook

The subscription changes mark a shift to monetising “super-premium” features behind higher paywalls, aligning with Spotify’s global trend. For India, this recalibrates user expectations around audio quality and subscription costs, with uptake reliant on data policies and user demand. Spotify is positioning lossless audio and AI tools as premium differentiators in a competitive streaming market.