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Topic: Mobility

Spotify tops the charts for multi-platform support

Summary: There are many competing streaming music clients, but Spotify is working hard to become the leader in a crowded market. You can rest assured your platform is covered with a Spotify client.

Matthew Miller

By for Smartphones and Cell Phones |

Readers know I use devices from nearly every platform, including my new MeeGo-powered Nokia N9, and thus it is important to me to find software and services across multiple platforms. This is especially true for subscription-based services, such as streaming music clients. Thanks to some fairly new releases, Spotify is now at the top of my streaming music chart and I subscribed as a premium user.

My T-Mobile SIM is currently residing in my cyan (blue) Nokia N9 and the hardware and slick OS are keeping the device in my pocket and out of my bag. There is an official Spotify app for MeeGo on the N9, but I prefer to use the 3rd party MeeSpot client that gives you a simple tap and hold option on a playlist to listen to that full playlist. You can also sync music for offline listening and even scrobble music to Last.fm. Spotify also just launched this week on Windows Phone 7/7.5 and it looks beautiful with the Metro UI fully integrated.

I was using Zune quite a bit, but that is limited to Windows Phone and streaming through a computer web browser. Slacker Radio was also one of my favorites, but there is no MeeGo client and the Symbian client constantly stutters when trying to do more than just listening to music. Spotify now runs on the following platforms, with dedicated clients for each:

  • Windows XP/Vista/7
  • Mac OS X
  • Linux (Preview build)
  • Windows Phone 7/7.5
  • Windows Mobile
  • iOS
  • Android
  • BlackBerry
  • MeeGo
  • Symbian
  • webOS

As you can see Spotify covers EVERY mobile platform and if you are a person who switches a lot or owns multiple devices on different platforms it is clear that Spotify is also the one for you.

I questioned if Spotify was the best mobile service when it launched and I was critical of it not having a radio or easy discovery method like other services. However, the integrated Facebook support with easy sharing of playlists has convinced me with just a bit of playlist setup the service is excellent.

Topics: Mobility, Microsoft, Operating Systems, Software, Windows

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12 comments
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  • RE: Spotify tops the charts for multi-platform support

    Spotify is missing one of the most important platforms out there. The web. You can't log onto Spotify's site just to listen to music. You have to download an app no matter what. That was the deal breaker for me. I love Rdio's service as you can use it on the web. Also, Rdio has an official iPad and iPhone app separately. Spotify doesn't have an iPad app. It just has an iPhone app that you double it in size for the iPad. And the apps themselves, Rdio is a better quality app.
    JMJMJMJM
    Reply Vote

    • RE: Spotify tops the charts for multi-platform support

      @JMJMJMJM: Rdio is ONLY on iOS, Android and Blackberry. FAIL!
      bradavon
      Reply Vote

    • RE: Spotify tops the charts for multi-platform support

      @JMJMJMJM: Tablet support is oddly missing. Hopefully they're working on iPad and Android tablet apps.

      Not being on the web is an issue but at least in The UK so many people have Spotify installed it's rarely a problem. You can just login or see your own profile by browsing to it. Hopefully North America will follow suit.

      This does mean they can concentrate on creating excellent Desktop and Mobile apps (it's currently buggy on Android). Spotify Desktop is significantly better than any web based music service I've ever used. Despite what Google may want us to think, websites aren't there yet when it comes to competing with desktop apps.

      I tend to use Grooveshark or Google Music when I need web based music. Which is rare.
      bradavon
      Reply Vote

      • RE: Spotify tops the charts for multi-platform support

        @bradavon Rdio is on the web, windows, mac, iphone, an official ipad app, android, blackberry, windows phone, roku, and sonos. Spotify is on windows, mac, iphone android, windows phone, symbian, and palm.

        So between the two, Rdio has the advantage of web, an official ipad app, blackberry, roku, and sonos. Spotify has the advantage of symbian and palm. Out of those I think it's safe to say Rdio has the advantage.

        Having it available on the web was very important to me. I like that I have the choice at work where I can't install Spotify on my system that I can just go to the Rdio site and listen to music.
        JMJMJMJM
        Reply Vote

  • In addition to JMJMJMJM post it isn't available for Roku and other MP

    At least I don't remember seeing it. We have 3 different media players, PS3, Roku, and a Sony Media Player with no cool name to identify it. I don't think any of them support spotify. Pandora works on all of them and my blackberry.
    DevGuy_z
    Reply Vote

    • RE: Spotify tops the charts for multi-platform support

      @DevGuy_z: Pandora isn't on MeeGo, Symbian OR crucially Windows Phone. FAIL!

      Spotify may come to PS3. It's also on the Logitech Squeezebox, Sonos, some Pioneer Receivers and Virgin Media (UK cable company). I bet Spotify are looking into PS3/Xbox 360.
      bradavon
      Reply Vote

  • RE: Spotify tops the charts for multi-platform support

    i just signed -up for Spotify,and after figuring how to get to the music availible,i've been real happy with it. I'm using a compaq cq-61cus notebook at home. i wish i could rip my song list to m.p.-3..that would be great..hint..hint
    kyzombie
    Reply Vote

  • God Saves ... He Shoots And Scores!

    "Nearly every platform", you say? Does it cover Buddhist and Muslim platforms as well?
    ldo17
    Reply Vote

  • RE: Spotify tops the charts for multi-platform support

    does not cover nokia S40 or samsung's Bada
    ccsvchost
    Reply Vote

  • RE: Spotify tops the charts for multi-platform support

    It's also on the Logitech Squeezebox, Sonos, some Pioneer Receivers and Virgin Media (UK cable company).

    Spotify does have a Radio! It's not available on Android though (possibly iOS too). It's music discovery works well through third party sites.

    I'm surprised Spotify are allowing that 3rd party MeeGo client. I imagine because MeeGo is tiny, it's kept under the radar.
    bradavon
    Reply Vote

  • FREE Spotify unavailable for Linux

    As of when I tried a couple months ago, the preview Linux client was only available to paying subscribers (something about integration of ads not working right). Just fyi. (Has it changed, anyone?)
    daboochmeister
    Reply Vote

  • RE: Spotify tops the charts for multi-platform support

    I love everything about Spotify. It's a great service for exploring new music. My favorite playlist I'm subscribed to is this College 101 playlist...it has a great variety of artists and gets continuously updated. Anyone looking for playlists on Spotify should check it out!

    http://open.spotify.com/user/myplay.com/playlist/0VkhN48djiq7VMzTc2nuZ9
    kjriemer
    Reply Vote
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