Spotify has officially launched its mobile radio service following rumors of its creation in the recent months. The service takes aim at Pandora by offering free unlimited radio to Spotify users in the United States. Currently the service is available through the company's iPhone and iPad apps, although it will soon be added to the company's applications on other platforms – an update to the company's Android app is expected in the coming weeks.
As with Pandora, the updated Spotify app now allows users to create web-based radio stations from songs, playlists, albums or artists. The new service has no limit on the amount of custom stations users are allowed to create, and any song that a user "likes" will be saved to a Spotify playlist for easy access. Additionally, stations will be personalized in real-time based on what songs users "like."
Premium Spotify users will continue to have an ad-free experience, Spotify said, and non-paying users will hear advertisements from the service's launch partners, which include Chevrolet, Durex, Heineken, Jim Beam, Lipton Iced Tea, Macy's, McDonalds, Progressive, Red Bull, Taco Bell, Verizon Wireless and Warner Bros.
While the new service is currently available for free to all U.S. users, it is also available to the company's premium users outside the United States. Spotify's radio service has been available on the company's desktop application in the United States since late last year.
Source: Businessweek, Engadget
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