Spotify to offer free music streaming to smartphones and tablets in the UK?
Spotify is planning to expand its free music streaming service to mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets, reports MediaGuardian.
Currently only Premium subscribers who pay a monthly fee of £9.99 can stream music to their portable devices. Now apparently Spotify is entering negoiations with the major record labels to secure new licensing agreements to enable the move.
According to The Verge, Spotify has already begun discussions in the UK with Warner Music, and is shortly expected to enter talks with Sony and Universal as well.
Last year Spotify launched a free radio player app in the US for iPhone and iPad users offering streaming of unlimited songs and stations, but with advertising – in the same way that it runs ads on the free streaming service for computer users.
This latest move is seen as an attempt to stave off competition from rivals such as Napster, Rdio and Deezer.
Follow whathifi.com on Twitter
Comments
Well the streaming to mobile service (with ads) is already available in the US, as we mention in the story.
Will this only be available in the UK? that's too bad and kinda annoying. I might keep using Torch music if that's what they're gonna do.
Sorry, no, details still a bit sketchy at this stage.
Any ideas if this will be available for devices like Sonos?
If the free streaming includes adverts, then everyone wins. I can't see a reason not to do it. The artists get more royalties, Spotify get more advertising revenue and the public get an extra free service.