Spotify Intros New Music Download Service With iPod Syncing
Streaming cloud music provider Spotify has debuted a new music download service in Europe that lets iPod Classic, iPod Nano and iPod Shuffle users synchronize with songs in their online playlists.
Boasting more than 9 million free users, 1 million paying subscribers and 13 million songs, the popular service, available in either premium or free, ad-supported flavors, allows new iPod features to be accessed simply by connecting digital music players to a PC via USB. To synchronize tunes, audiophiles merely have to access the Devices section of the Spotify app. Users employing the service’s free option can now quickly buy tracks or playlists on demand, as well, and wirelessly sync playlists with mobile Apple or Android devices.
Putting the service in direct contention with rivals like iTunes and Amazon MP3, users can purchase songs for as little as 50p (approximately 80 cents) per track. Spotify has yet to launch in the U.S., but given the company’s recent negotiations with record labels, technology insiders expect it’s only a matter of time before it makes inroads into North America.