On Tuesday, April 29, phone company Sprint announced it will offer a phone optimized for playing music along with discounts for Spotify’s premium music streaming service.
According to Yahoo News, the HTC One M8 Harman Kardon edition, a special edition of the HTC One smartphone, will feature special audio technologies that will enhance sound quality. The two technologies will restore the sound frequencies lost during audio compression, ultimately providing optimized audio quality for playing music. The Harman Kardon edition One also boasts a unique black finish with champagne highlights.
Customers who sign up for Sprint’s Framily friends and family program will also receive six free months of Spotify Premium access, cnet.com reports. After the first six months, Sprint customers can continue Spotify access at an exclusive discounted rate.
The HTC One M8 Harman Kardon utilizes Clari-Fi and LiveStage, two audio enhancement technologies. Clari-Fi is intended to restore high-end sound frequencies lost during compression and make audio sound fuller. According to cnet.com, Clari-Fi’s software is an algorithm that can restore up to 90% of lost sound data. LiveStage simulates multiple channels of audio to create a surround-sound-like effect.
Sprint’s move toward accommodating casual music listeners and audiophiles alike sets an important precedent in smartphone sound quality. It also marks an important move by the phone carrier to appeal to a wider consumer base at a time when it continues to lose customers.
The HTC One M8 Harman Kardon edition will be available May 9 at all Sprint stores, Yahoo News reported. Pricing hasn’t yet been announced.