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Speculation about Spotify HiFi has been swirling for years, and it appears that an upgrade, potentially named Spotify Supremium, may finally be launching.
Recently, screenshots surfaced online showing what might be the user interface for this new ‘enhanced listening’ tier. These images, posted on Reddit by a user named OhItsTom, suggest what the subscription could look like across desktop and mobile platforms.
The leaked screenshots are particularly interesting as they display a range of tools and text windows that might feature in the official release of the service.
What is Spotify Supremium?
At the moment, Spotify streams music using compressed formats like Vorbis and AAC to make the best of its bandwidth. These methods involve ‘lossy’ compression, where parts of the music files are discarded to reduce data transfer size. In contrast, Spotify HiFi or Supremium would introduce CD-quality or lossless streaming, providing a richer audio experience.
The upcoming service, potentially named Spotify Lossless, will include features such as advanced mixing tools, detailed listening history statistics, select free audiobooks, and 24-bit lossless audio. Leaked smartphone screenshots reveal an introductory guide to Spotify Lossless, explaining that users can stream music files “in up to 24-bit” through Spotify Connect on compatible devices. A special ‘Lossless’ label will signal when music is streamed at this high quality. Other features include “pro tips” and a troubleshooting guide for optimizing lossless audio reception, along with settings adjustments for song quality and downloads.
The smartphone images points out that it may be called Spotify Lossless
The desktop interface gives further insights, including a compatibility checker that evaluates whether a user’s computer setup can support high-resolution music streaming. An audio frequency monitor is also platformed, though its exact purpose remains unclear. It appears to allow users to check out signal strength across frequencies ranging from 60Hz to 15kHz.
The desktop app has an audio frequency monitor
Another key aspect is the ‘Enhanced Listening’ options on the desktop version. When connecting, Spotify will assess whether the user’s device supports HiFi streaming, evaluate the internet connection, and provide a performance score that ranges from Low to Lossless, with Lossless being the best rating.
Although Spotify Lossless supports a bitrate of up to 1,411 kbps,  lower than Tidal’s maximum of 192kHz, this might still be adequate for most users, as the perceptible difference may be minuscule. According to 9To5Google, Spotify plans to allow users to increase the bitrate limit to 2,117 kbps. It also mentions that 24-bit lossless music in the FLAC format will be accessible, albeit only for specific tracks.
When is Spotify HiFi or Supremium coming?
Despite expectations, Spotify HiFi has not been launched, following its initial announcement in 2021.
After a 2023 presentation, Spotify co-president Gustav Söderström disclosed to The Verge that Spotify is committed to introducing HiFi, stating that the company “are going to do it [HiFi], but we’re going to do it in a way where it makes sense for us and our listeners. The industry changed and we had to adapt.”
He also mentioned that the high-resolution service “is coming at some point.” However, Spotify’s annual Stream On event on March 8, 2023, sidestepped HiFi, focusing instead on new creator tools, user features, and programming.
The event introduced a TikTok-style scrollable layout, additional Spotify exclusive podcasts, and the AI DJ app, which has a personalized playlist upgrade and music recommendations voiced by Spotify’s cultural partnerships head, Xavier ‘X’ Jernigan.
The high-quality streams would, the company said, be “rolling out in select markets later this year”.
What will I need to listen to Spotify Supremium?
The improved service is expected to integrate into the existing Spotify app, using lossless audio compression algorithms like Sony’s ATRAC, FLAC, HD-AAC (already used in Spotify’s Premium tier), and Dolby True-HD.
For the best quality with the Supremium tier, wired speakers or headphones are recommended due to their compatibility with high-quality analog connections.
However, if you prefer wireless headphones, make sure they and your player support high-bitrate Bluetooth codecs like aptX HD Lossless or LDAC to prevent compression of the audio at the final transmission stage.
How much will the new tier be?
The new service is likely to cost $18 per month, nearly double the current $10.99 monthly fee for Spotify Premium in the U.S., the price for its additional features.
“We’re seeing less churn in this round of increases, than we did in our prior one, which was already very low, by any measure,” Spotify CEO Daniel Ek said on the earnings call.
Ek revealed plans for a more premium Spotify tier, possibly costing about $5 or so above the current premium tier pricing, with additional enhancements. He stated that the idea is still in its “early days,” but it’s a response to consumer demand and could significantly impact the music industry.
“It’s probably around a $17 or $18 price point, but sort of a deluxe version of Spotify that has all of the benefits that this normal Spotify version has, but a lot more control, a lot higher quality across the board,” Ek said.
“It’s an exciting time at Spotify. We keep on innovating and showing that we aren’t just a great product, but increasingly also a great business,” said CEO Daniel Ek. “We are doing so on a timeline that has exceeded even our own expectations. This all bodes very well for the future.”
Featured image: Canva
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Epic Games has released the details for Fortnite update 30.30 which includes a Deadpool and Wolverine collab ahead of the film being debuted later this week.
As well as the superhero duo, there’s also the random addition of a Tesla and new Fall Guys mini-games.
It’s a fairly chaotic update, but one that brings some exciting changes and early access to features currently under development.
Fall Guys obstacle courses can now be created in Fortnite
Update 30.30 has brought about a new large selection of Fall Guy’s assets straight from the Blunderstone.
A varied array of prefabs and galleries are available, along with pieces that make building custom Fall Guys-style obstacle courses possible. These all come in various sizes so you can personalize it to your island’s needs.
These islands can be published in the Creator Portal from August 6 and must be done so manually as they don’t auto-publish. Those created with the Fall Guys starter islands could qualify for placement in a limited-time Fall Guys row in Discover.
The prefabs and galleries include:

Fall Guys Large Checkpoint
Fall Guys Medium Checkpoint
Fall Guys Small Checkpoint
Fall Guys Finish Funnel
Fall Guys Large Finish Platform
Fall Guys Medium Finish Platform
Fall Guys Small Finish Platform
Fall Guys Large Starting Platform
Fall Guys Medium Starting Platform
Fall Guys Small Starting Platform
Fall Guys Components Gallery
Fall Guys Obstacles Gallery
Fall Guys Elemental Gallery A

Deadpool and Wolverine arrive on the scene
The duo is coming to the in-game shop, alongside several Adidas skins to choose from.

Better Look at Deadpool & Wolverine Fortnite Skins pic.twitter.com/jLgpy1anfV
— HYPEX (@HYPEX) July 23, 2024

The Wolverine and Deadpool bundles should be able to be claimed this week which goes nicely with the release of the Hollywood movie.
Rocket Racing has new tracks
While it’s not always the most loved mode on Fortnite, Epic Games has given Rocket Racing some TLC as they debut new tracks.
There are seven to choose from, all with varying difficulty levels from novice to expert.
These include:

Obsidian: Novice difficulty (unlocked in Ranked Racing at Bronze 1)
Seafoam Cave: Novice difficulty (unlocked in Ranked Racing at Bronze 1)
Skull Rock Isle: Novice difficulty (unlocked in Ranked Racing at Silver 1)
Lavish Lagoon: Novice difficulty (unlocked in Ranked Racing at Silver 1)
Twin Flame Island: Advanced difficulty (unlocked in Ranked Racing at Gold 1)
Azure Grotto: Advanced difficulty (unlocked in Ranked Racing at Gold 1)
Basalt Burrow: Expert difficulty (unlocked in Ranked Racing at Platinum 1)

Tesla EV
A Tesla Cybertruck bundle will be coming to the shop in the next update on August 6 and will include five decals and Cyber Wheels.
In the meantime, Epic Games released the Tesla EV which can be secured for free after completing all nine sub-quests in the Summer Road Trip Quest by the time the next update rolls around.
Fixes and updates in Fortnite update 30.30
It can’t all be fun and games! There’s a handful of updates to documentation and learning within 30.30 and these include upgraded tutorials for using the creator portal, converting a static mesh into a skeletal mesh, and more.
In terms of community bug fixes, driven by information submitted through forums, there has been improved launch session reliability added when connecting to the server.
Featured Image: Via HypeX user on X
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In a constant race against competitors, the Meta Quest 3 will be the first to bring an AI assistant to the device.
Mark Zuckerberg’s company announced the news on Tuesday (July 23) through a press release, writing that Meta Quest is “gearing up to join the [AI] party this summer.”
This announcement comes after Bloomberg reported that Apple had plans to bring Apple Intelligence to the Vision Pro headsets in the near future.
Journalist Mark Gurman said the iPhone maker is “actively working” on bringing the Apple Intelligence features to the Vision Pro headset. But this isn’t expected to be available this year.
Beating them to it, the smart MR assistant on the Quest 3 will mean instant access to real-time information and answers to burning questions while wearing the headset.
The AI element will begin rolling out in the US and Canada in an experimental mode next month and then the experience will be improved over time.
This is the same artificial intelligence already integrated into services like Instagram, Facebook, WhatsApp, and the company’s Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses.
Users will be able to ask the AI any questions through voice prompts and can include the visual surroundings as part of the conversation.
Meta Quest 3 to be integrated with AI support
While Meta describes it as being ‘early days,’ with ‘more functionality to come,’ they explain how the experience will be made better over time due to regular software updates.
“More than a decade ago, we recognized AI and the metaverse as two foundational technologies for the next computing platform, and we’ve been investing in fundamental research into both ever since…
“Large language models are enabling powerful virtual assistants that become even more useful when embedded within wearable devices like Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses and, soon, Quest.”
The AI assistant will not be available on the older version of the headset though, only on the most current version.
Featured Image: Via Wikimedia Commons
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Adobe has just brought major AI-powered updates to Illustrator and Photoshop, as it officially integrates its artificial intelligence model Firefly.
Announced on Tuesday (July 23) the new releases aim to “accelerate creative workflows, save pros time, and empower designers to realize their visions faster.”
These elements are all powered by the Firefly Vector Model (beta) and the Firefly Image 3 Model and the update has already been put into action as everyone should be able to access it this week.
The Firefly-related features include Generative Shape Fill, Dimension Tool, Mockup, Text to Pattern, Contextual Taskbar, and more general performance enhancement tools in Illustrator.
For Photoshop, AI elements are now included in the Selection Brush Tool, Generate Image, Adjustment Brush Tool, and other workflow measures.
The senior vice president of digital media at Adobe Ashley Still said these features should “maximize productivity and accelerate workflows across ideation, design, and production.
“Adobe’s new innovations in Illustrator and Photoshop are built directly into designers’ existing workflows, offering new ways to create and helping them to work faster and focus on what they do best – drawing, designing and bringing their creative visions to life.”
What are Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator’s new AI features?
Adobe Firefly is the technology company’s generative machine learning model which became part of the Creative Cloud offering upon its release in March 2023.
One of its most notable elements is its text-to-image generator capabilities which are now added to Photoshop. Like with competitor models, a prompt is needed and then the tool will spit out an AI image matching your description.
Also new to Photoshop is Generative Fill which is where images can be generated and missing elements or backgrounds filled in or even vector outlines created.
Full list of added AI features into Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator  

All-new Generative Shape Fill in Illustrator empowers designers to quickly add detailed vectors to shapes in designer’s own unique style for concept ideation or more detail in existing artwork and designs.
Enhanced Text to Pattern in Illustrator speeds up the creative process, empowering designers to ideate, create and scale customized vector patterns across design projects using simple text prompts.
Style Reference in Illustrator helps designers quickly edit and scale vector graphic creations, including subjects, scenes and icons, in their own unique style.
Generate Image in Photoshop removes the blank page by jump starting ideation and creation with new levels of creative control directly in Photoshop, powered by Adobe Firefly Image 3 Model.
Enhance Detail in Generative Fill in Photoshop delivers greater sharpness and detail in large size image formats.

Smaller changes have been made to current tools too.

Mockup in Illustrator delivers the ability to easily create high-quality visual prototypes of art on objects like product packaging, apparel and more by automatically adjusting the art to fit the curves and edges of the real-life object.
Dimension tool in Illustrator helps designers easily plot precise sizing to projects in a few clicks for packaging design, architectural drawings, fashion patterns and more.
Retype in Illustrator helps designers conveniently convert static text to live, editable text and identify the perfect font for projects.
Enhanced selection capabilities in Illustrator including the new Enclosed Rectangular Marquee Selection helps designers select objects more precisely and with more precision, which is especially useful in intricate and crowded designs.
Enhanced Pan and Zoom capabilities in Illustrator deliver faster and smoother performance so designers can navigate highly complex documents with speed and ease – up to 10 times faster with scalability from 3.13% to 64,000%.
Contextual Taskbar speeds up workflows with a menu that presents relevant next steps in the user’s design process.
Selection Brush Tool in Photoshop makes selecting, compositing and applying filters intuitive.
Adjustment Brush in Photoshop enables users to easily apply non-destructive adjustments to specific portions of images.
In Photoshop, enhancements to the Type Tool delivers faster and less-manual ways of creating bulleted and numbered lists and improvements in the Contextual Taskbar introduce popular settings for working with shapes and rotating objects.

Featured Image: Photo by Emily Bernal on Unsplash
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Alphabet will be spending an extra $5 billion on its self-driving company Waymo.
The parent company of Google has committed to a new ‘multi-year investment’ which was announced by chief officer Ruth Porat during a second-quarter earnings call.
“This new round of funding, which is consistent with recent annual investment levels, will enable Waymo to continue to build the world’s leading autonomous driving technology company.”
The California-based Waymo was formerly known as the Google Self-Driving Car Project and is referred to as the world’s first autonomous ride-hailing service.
The Co-CEO Tekedra N Mawakana took to X (formerly Twitter) to share the news and her gratitude, writing: “Alphabet has committed up to $5B to Waymo.
“We are grateful for their immense vote of confidence in our team and recognizing the amazing progress we’ve made with our technology, product, and commercialization efforts.”

Alphabet has committed up to $5B to @Waymo. We are grateful for their immense vote of confidence in our team and recognizing the amazing progress we’ve made with our technology, product, and commercialization efforts.
— Tekedra N Mawakana (@TechTekedra) July 23, 2024

Porat also said Google will be focusing on improving overall efficiencies in its ‘other bets’ segment. This segment includes Google Ventures, the drone company Wing, the research organization Verily, and the biotechnology company Calico.
“Waymo is an important example of this, with its technical leadership coupled with progress on operational performance,” said the executive.
On the call, Google and Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai reportedly said how the company is now delivering well over 50,000 paid rides per week. This number was also noted in Waymo’s announcement blog post about expanding in San Francisco.
It isn’t yet known how the $5 billion will be spent, but Alphabet’s 10-Q form could have more details when this is officially filed.
What is Waymo?
Waymo is a vehicle service where people can order a car to take them to their destination and it will do so without anyone in the driver’s seat.
While the company was founded in 2009, the technology hasn’t yet expanded to all areas of the U.S., but upcoming projects and goals could point to the Waymo Driver becoming more commonplace throughout the country.
Currently, the driver has been tested across 13 states and San Francisco is the latest place to be able to access fully autonomous rides.
Before operating in a new area, each city and town has to be mapped out with extreme detail. This includes lane markers, stop signs, curbs, crosswalks, and more.
The driver then uses all data, including the custom maps and real-time sensor information, to determine its exact road location.
When looking at the amount of rides taken across major urban areas, over the last six years, the company writes that the Waymo Driver “avoids high-severity collisions better than even the most attentive human drivers.”
They go on to say how data shows that “we have fewer insurance claims and injuries or police reports than human drivers.”
Featured Image: Via Waymo’s X Account
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