Spotify iPhone App: Can Apple See Beyond iTunes
7/28/2009 07:49:00 PM - 0 comments
Apple Inc. must have never faced a situation as this, when an application comes knocking at its door for approval to be included in its App Store and double up as a direct competition to its own iTunes music store. The center of discussion in the iPhone world now is Spotify, the hugely popular streaming music service in Europe that has submitted its iPhone app to Apple. However, analysts are doubtful if Steve Job’s Apple will approve an application that is too close to iTunes.It all began when the Swedish streaming music startup, after a successful stint in wooing more than 6 million users in Europe, released a first glimpse at its much-awaited iPhone application as it plans to enter the U.S. market by the end of the year with the app. What instantly caught the attention was the application’s user-friendliness and comprehensive library of more than 6 million tracks. Soon tongues began wagging about a striking similarity of Spotify to Apple iTunes. The only prominent difference is that although, Spotify resembles iTunes on many counts, here the users can only stream the songs instead of owning them.
Spotify App Features – Too Similar, yet different to iTunes
The debate is hot about Spotify’s uncanny resemblance to iTunes. Sometimes it is called a potential iTunes killer, while at other times it is appreciated as the rival to piracy and a legal alternative.
- Spotify has a very clean and simple interface, exhibiting quick launch and Playlists.
- You can search for songs and build a playlist, all without owning the tracks.
- You can sync Playlists easily over Wi-Fi; and no USB cable will be required.
- On the Playlists screen, you can shuffle any playlist, or play it in order. Moreover, there is also an “offline playlists” button and you can cache playlists to listen to when the AT&T network fails or you lose connection.
- You can store up to 3,333 songs in Spotify Playlists on the iPhone.
- You can play songs continuously on Wi-Fi connection courtesy an offline playback feature, even though there are lags on the Edge and 3G networks like in planes, subways, and other places where you cannot get a proper mobile signal.
The 'Spotify' story
Spotify which adds a record 10,000 tracks a day, have agreements with record labels including Universal Music Group, Sony BMG, EMI Music and Warner Music Group that compensate them via click-through rates. It is the brainchild of Martin Lorentzon and Daniel Ek, who paired up after European online marketing company TradeDoubler, acquired Ek’s contextual advertising start-up Advertigo in 2006. Since then, Spotify has never looked back. They have kept the European market grooving to its music, and is all set to take the U.S markets soon, courtesy the Spotify iPhone app.
The pricing for the Spotify iPhone app is likely to be ‘free’ as the company offers an ad-supported free desktop version, interspersing tracks with occasional adverts. However, a recent update has confirmed that users can enjoy the premium service package from Spotify at the rate £9.99 per month ($16). This package comes minus the adverts, and with an improved audio quality. Spotify on an iPhone resembles an iPod with incredibly the same comprehensive library.
Will Apple approve Spotify’s iPhone app for the AppStore?
This is perhaps the BIG QUESTION doing the rounds, as most analysts believe Spotify’s iPhone app definitely shows real potential to threaten iTunes on Apple’s own iPhone turf. As Spotify representatives keep their fingers crossed as it has already been submitted for approval’ sources have revealed that Spotify will include “buy” links to the iTunes music store unlike other app.
However, there is speculation that Apple might even approve Spotify, by taking a certain percentage of Spotify’s iPhone-related revenue, and not ponder much into what app users rely to listen to music, as long as they continue buying Apple hardware to play it on. There are also reports that even in the eventuality of getting a clearance for release, music-lovers and iPhone users in the United States will have to wait until the end of 2009 for Spotify to launch its services in the U.S.
Until then, we can only wish Spotify ‘Good Luck’!
Posted: Seuli.B
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