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Spotify Announces New Free Listening Tiers for Mobile Devices

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macrumors bot
Original poster
Apr 12, 2001
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Spotify today announced the introduction of new free listening tiers for its mobile customers, with separate options available for both tablets and smartphones. Previously, Spotify limited its free listening to desktop users, requiring a $9.99 monthly subscription for music access on mobile devices beyond Spotify's free radio streaming.

On the iPad, the Spotify app will function similarly to the current free desktop version of the app, permitting users to search for specific tracks, build playlists, and listen to content for free.

On the iPhone, Spotify's service is built around shuffling, much like similar services from Pandora and iTunes Radio. Customers can search for a specific artist or song, but will be required to shuffle through an artist's catalog to access the music. Pre-compiled playlists can also be accessed, but unlimited search and listen access is not available.
- Your music: Listen to all the playlists you've created and playlists from the people you follow. Spotify lets you discover new music, save, shuffle and share.

- Your favourite artists: Want to listen to a certain artist? Just hit shuffle play, sit back and listen to their entire catalogue. Don't settle for something similar. Don't settle for just one track from the artist you want to hear every 20 minutes.

- Discover great new playlists: Going for a jog or to the gym? We've got the playlist to help you go the extra mile. We know you just want the perfect music for a specific moment in time - and we've got you covered. There's something for every mood, genre or moment.
Click to expand...
The difference between the iPhone app and the iPad app comes from Spotify's decision to treat the iPad as a PC. Subscribers who pay Spotify's $9.99 per month fee will have exclusive access to offline playlists along with the ability to select specific songs for playback.

Along with new free listening options on mobile devices, Spotify today also announced that it has added the full catalog of Led Zeppelin albums and expanded to 20 new markets around the world.

Spotify's free services will be available beginning today. The Spotify app can be downloaded from the App Store for free. [Direct Link]

Article Link: Spotify Announces New Free Listening Tiers for Mobile Devices
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2013/12/11/spotify-announces-new-free-listening-tiers-for-mobile-devices/
A

avanpelt

macrumors 68030
Jun 2, 2010
2,956
3,877
Not sure why they didn't make the smartphone and tablet experience the same. That would've made a lot more sense to the end-user.

I re-downloaded the Spotify app to my iPhone today when I heard they were launching the mobile service free wth ads today. When I realized that on the iPhone, at least, it's just like iTunes Radio and Pandora, I immediately deleted the Spotify app. No need to have a third app that does the same thing as the other two.
 
ArtOfWarfare

ArtOfWarfare

macrumors G3
Nov 26, 2007
9,560
6,059
Sounds like a bizarre compromise. I'll give it a go and see if it's any better than iTunes Radio (which isn't very good, so I don't use it. I've fed it with death metal before and it tried telling me children's country songs are similar.)
 
Z

ZildjianLudwig

macrumors newbie
Sep 20, 2012
29
9
This is great for iPad, but it's not MUCH new for the iPhone. Spotify Radio has been around for ages, and was free for iPhone.

To be sure, now we can shuffle playlists or an artist, etc. But unless that's something you'll actually use (which I won't), this isn't anything new on your phone.

Not complaining, just don't want the iPhone impact to be misunderstood or blown out of proportion.
 
RMo

RMo

macrumors 65816
Aug 7, 2007
1,254
281
Iowa, USA
Is this supposed to be live already? On the iPhone/iPod version, I can't listen to my playlists, which it sounds like is something I'm supposed to be able to do now. There is no app update, nor should one really be required since Premium users can already stream without changing the app--I assume this is done server-side.

Am I missing something?

EDIT: Some sources are reporting there's a new app. Maybe Apple hasn't approved it yet?

EDIT 2: Nevermind, I was right before. It's working now.
 
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W

WDE87

macrumors member
Jun 7, 2012
35
0
Wait what?

So do I NOT need to pay $9.99/month in order to have the full service on my iPhone and computer now?
 
Z

ZildjianLudwig

macrumors newbie
Sep 20, 2012
29
9
WDE87 said:
Wait what?

So do I NOT need to pay $9.99/month in order to have the full service on my iPhone and computer now?
Click to expand...

Incorrect. You can shuffle an artist/playlist for free. To pick a song on-demand (on your iPhone), you must still pay.

This headline is all kinds of misleading ....

----------

This would be a really useful graphic to include:
1386779431-SpotifyChart.png
 
B

Bare

macrumors regular
Jun 17, 2008
182
6
Spotify Premium is worth it. Been listening to any song I want to whenever I want with no interruption for months. Fantastic.
 
v0lume4

v0lume4

macrumors 68020
Jul 28, 2012
2,477
5,079
I absolutely love Spotify. I have Premium for $10 a month. I cannot tell you the money it's saved me, I used to easily buy more than $10 worth of songs a month.

I hope maybe this will drive their premium subscriber base up!
 
dreamsINdigital

dreamsINdigital

macrumors 6502
Sep 4, 2006
301
5
avanpelt said:
Not sure why they didn't make the smartphone and tablet experience the same. That would've made a lot more sense to the end-user.

I re-downloaded the Spotify app to my iPhone today when I heard they were launching the mobile service free wth ads today. When I realized that on the iPhone, at least, it's just like iTunes Radio and Pandora, I immediately deleted the Spotify app. No need to have a third app that does the same thing as the other two.
Click to expand...

It's actually different. It's better since you can shuffle play your own playlists with songs that you pick yourself. That allows for more selective listening than just playing an artist station. Not sure if that's what you thought was new; the artist stations like Pandora/iTunes Radio have been part of Spotify for awhile now.
 
moetownslick

moetownslick

macrumors regular
Jun 15, 2009
124
5
i think it's a bit different than the current "artist radio" function, in that its current incarnation starts off with the artist you chose, but then branches off into other artists (a la Pandora). This new incarnation lets you ONLY listen to one artist, which i like. Sometimes, i ONLY want to listen to frank sinatra and not have it roll off into tony bennett, etc.
 
zorinlynx

zorinlynx

macrumors G3
May 31, 2007
8,169
17,687
Florida, USA
What is the reasoning for restricting what you can do more on a phone than a tablet?

I've noticed an increasing amount of "device discrimination" of this sort lately. For example, "Watch ABC" on the Apple TV requires a cable subscription, but not on the iPhone or iPad. Some YouTube videos are blocked on "mobile devices", but can be viewed just fine on a laptop or desktop.

The user gets the same content regardless, why discriminate on type of device?
 
T

Tazjin

macrumors newbie
Aug 2, 2010
17
0
avanpelt said:
When I realized that on the iPhone, at least, it's just like iTunes Radio and Pandora, I immediately deleted the Spotify app
Click to expand...

It's not, you can still create and shuffle your own playlists.

zorinlynx said:
What is the reasoning for restricting what you can do more on a phone than a tablet?
Click to expand...

That's not a question for Spotify but a question for rights holders.
 
inkswamp

inkswamp

macrumors 68030
Jan 26, 2003
2,953
1,278
Tried Spotify a while back. Loved the concept but could not tolerate the way the ads were about 10x louder than the music and the obnoxious way the ads paused if you muted your computer's volume. Got fed up with having to reach for the volume controls so frequently. I sent them a complaint and stopped using it, but they just sent me back a form response and an offer for a month free which I didn't use. A shame that such a great idea is ruined by such an easily fixed flaw.

EDIT: Also really, really hated the way the desktop app kept insisting on pulling in my iTunes library whether I told it to do so or not. It completely ignored my preferences settings to not look at my iTunes playlists. In addition to my gripe about the ad volume, Spotify's creators need to tone it down a little and be a little less aggressive with their customers. There's no reason the desktop app can't ask politely if it's okay to import your iTunes playlists on the first launch. A really obnoxious application.
 
dreamsINdigital

dreamsINdigital

macrumors 6502
Sep 4, 2006
301
5
zorinlynx said:
What is the reasoning for restricting what you can do more on a phone than a tablet?

I've noticed an increasing amount of "device discrimination" of this sort lately. For example, "Watch ABC" on the Apple TV requires a cable subscription, but not on the iPhone or iPad. Some YouTube videos are blocked on "mobile devices", but can be viewed just fine on a laptop or desktop.

The user gets the same content regardless, why discriminate on type of device?
Click to expand...

There would be much less of an incentive to subscribe to their monthly service.
 
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