[Sweden] The much – perhaps justifiably – hyped music streaming service Spotify has extended its mobile reach significantly today with the release of an app for phones powered by the Nokia-led Symbian operating system.
This follows earlier clients for both iPhone and Android and means that the service will now be accessible on millions more handsets from Nokia, obviously, along with Sony Ericsson and Samsung which also support the platform.
Phones powered by Symbian far outstrip the iPhone and Android (for now) in Europe where Spotify is currently available. Today’s release should see the company strike further carrier deals or at least extend their current offering with mobile network 3, leading to more ‘back door’ or ‘feels like free’ premium subscriptions.
Just as with the previous iPhone and Android versions, users must be Spotify premium subscribers to use the service on their mobile phones. In return they get to ditch the ads and can cache play-lists for off-line (out of signal) coverage and to conserve battery life.
On-demand music on-the-go is a compelling proposition and Spotify is betting that its mobile offerings will drive uptake for premium subscriptions. But there is also another play at hand. Deals with mobile carriers, such as the one reached with Hutchison’s 3UK in which customers get a Spotify subscription and compatible handset as part of their mobile (24 month) contract.