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Video: Spotify’s Amazing Android App

This demo of the unreleased app includes offline streaming.

PREDICTION: When the iPhone version of this hits and Spotify expands the the US – both are inevitable – the entire landscape changes and everyone will be chasing Spotify instead of iTunes.

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13 Comments

  1. I’d say it’s more if then when. Apple would be suicidal to let this on the iPhone. (Not to mention when is this ever coming to the US?)

  2. Wait – sorry for my denseness, but I am confused with what is happening here – is the desktop component like an iTunes library, or is it doing a search across all the majors catalogs, whether the user owns the music or not?
    If the latter, how is this sustainable, since I would assume Spotify is paying licensing fees for each track. Where is the revenue?

  3. Spotify has yet to set foot on US Turf. Most music search services almost always adhere to the 3-s rule
    Search Service – Serve Service – Sue Service – Suspend Service

  4. The only major difference I see here is that for iTunes you have to buy and own the copy before you synch. With spotify it’s free.

  5. I don’t agree. I think the copyright owners will always opt for the .99 cents over the .021 cent Spotify maybe royalty. 1 month for new releases on iTunes the upload to Spotify. Spotify is excellent streaming – but still streaming. I think iTunes will still be first choice for new releases.

  6. Two answer a few questions and comments at once:
    Spotify has a chance because it is 1) a great app that feels like iTunes, 2) run by some former internet ad execs who know how to make money on the net 3) coming along at a time when labels are starting to play nicer.
    I did not meant to imply that Spotify would replace iTunes; rather that it may become the dog whose tail everyone is chasing – as in everything becomes “Spotify-like” instead of “iTunes-like”.
    And for the skeptics – if Spotify has deep catalog and becomes truely portable…will people bother to buy music? And when they do why not hit the Spotify buy button?

  7. Those roumours about iTunes going unlimited better become true soon, otherwise Spotify will indeed steal a big chunk of Apple’s a la carte buyers.
    Spotify has and will continue to grow its deep catalogue, and majors love it because it’s good, and because it presents a potential threat to Apple’s dominium. Spotify’s user experience is unbeatable and unreplaceable once you get used to it – there’s no going back to a-la-carte after trying it. There’s no practical reason to.
    With this new mobile solution access becomes ubiquitous, so streaming has no downside versus a stored file.

  8. Your last point is kind of the point I was making with my comment. I’ve only been on Spotify a few weeks (and hopefully won’t get the boot any time soon, knocks on wood) and it’s already become a complete substitute for impulse purchases. It’s also made me a lot more cautious about rushing into any of Amazon’s daily deals, many of which I’ve bought and listened to once if that. Spotify is the read deal and while there are always people who will feel the need to “own” their music, it’s made a believer out of me.

  9. What I think will wind up happening is iTunes will still be used by everyone because that is what they will use for their computers-to manage songs on a laptop/desktop/external HD- and for syncing the iPod
    I don’t think Spotify will take any market share from iTunes at all, they are both totally different pieces of software. One is for managing and listening to on a laptop/desktop/home- the other is for mobile streaming. Two totally different things in my opinion.
    If apple really wants to fight back to this, they could easily do so by integrating something like this into the mobileme accounts.

  10. Does Apple care that much about protecting iTunes? Is it a money maker for them or does it just exist to sell iPods and iPhones?
    I own a Blackberry but I wound certainly want to switch to an iPhone or just buy a newer model iPod or Touch if it enables me to use this app.

  11. Songs don’t need to be “yours”.. all you need is access to them, on your phone and through your computer – that covers pretty much all needs. Spotify allows for both, on an UNLIMITED catalog basis, thus you have music anytime, anywhere and without restriction*. Their client also allows you to manage songs in your computer just like iTunes, if not better.
    All Spotify needs is a bit more catalogue, the mobile app up and running, and maybe higher bitrate whenever possible (though it’s been good enough when I’ve blasted tunes through my Mackies).
    Once all that is in place, hundreds of millions of people (excluding iPhones holders, presumably) will have legal access to all the music out there in the world very easily through their phone or computer. Now, then, why would you want to have a 3rd device (such as an iPod), or, why would you want to buy tracks individually through the iTunes store, where they cost more than they used to on CD!
    The iTunes store is only successful in comparisson to other digital music stores, but let’s remember that legal digital music store activity only accounts for 5% of all the music activity in the digital space. The other 95% goes through pirate channels. A big reason for that is that through them you can get all the tracks that you want, entire discographies, you can take the liberty of giving unknown artists a try, etc.; non of which you would do if you had to pay for every track!
    Many people have stored or listened to 3,000 tracks or more lately, but who is willing to pay 3,000 dollars or more for them?
    Spotify is the best legal alternative today, in my opinion. I can’t wait to see how that mobile app works; we could very well be looking at the new standard for digital music.

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