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Spotify Wins iPhone App Store Approval

Posted by timothy on from the there's-a-cream-for-that dept.

angry tapir writes "Apple has approved a streaming music application from Spotify for use on the iPhone, even though the program will compete with Apple's own iTunes service. Spotify is an advertising-supported music service that lets end-users stream music to their computers free of charge. The service is available in the U.K. and by invitation in countries including Sweden, Norway, Finland, France and Spain. Users can opt to pay for a version of the service without ads." The BBC also has a story on the app's acceptance.

12 of 114 comments (clear)

  1. And... by El+Lobo · · Score: 3, Insightful
    The fact that this is news is simply sad.

    Image the news: MS approved Firefox on Windows...

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    It's time to realise that Abble's products are the biggest abomination these days. Just say NO to the dumb iAbble way!!
    1. Re:And... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Insightful

      Couldn't agree more. And unfortunately this will be perceived as "good" news.

      Don't get me wrong, the (hardware) products Apple creates are nice and pretty and all, but the vendor lock-in on the iPhone sucks monkey-balls.

      And for you all "well don't buy it then"-folks. You're missing the point. A successful vendor-locked product such as the iPhone will set the norm and you can just expect even more locked products in the future (not just from Apple).

    2. Re:And... by SillyWilly · · Score: 1, Insightful

      I think you're missing the point. Apple have approved a streaming service which in some ways directly competes with Apple's own music selling business. This demonstrated a level of maturity which Apple failed to display during the whole Google Voice debacle.

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      Online & Feelin' Fine
    3. Re:And... by El+Lobo · · Score: 2, Insightful
      So, MS should approve Open Office on Windows machines as a gest of good will... oh wait, Open Office runs on Windows without MS control, the horror!!!!

      The point is: yes, Apple are now angels, look pa, they have approved one competing service. But the real news is: there are STILL A LOT of competing applications that are locked out. But no, look daddy, they are not THAT bad!

      --
      It's time to realise that Abble's products are the biggest abomination these days. Just say NO to the dumb iAbble way!!
    4. Re:And... by Trepidity · · Score: 5, Insightful

      That really isn't what the story is about, though. Maybe Spotify is great, but "Spotify released for another platform" isn't that exciting and probably wouldn't end up posted on Slashdot, if there weren't some reason that it being released for the iPhone was surprising or at some point in doubt.

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      10 PRINT CHR$(205.5+RND(1)); : GOTO 10
    5. Re:And... by dunkelfalke · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Firefox was a good enough example since it directly competes with Microsoft Internet Explorer.

      --
      "It's such a fine line between stupid and clever" -- David St. Hubbins, Spinal Tap
    6. Re:And... by tres · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Good job. You've counted the beans correctly, but didn't address the point.

      I guess I didn't spell it out well enough. It doesn't matter whether it took two days, twelve days or twenty days. The point is that there should be a first-in-first-out system of app evaluations. An application that uses a network connection takes a little longer to get approved. I'm okay with that; however, when I see an application that uses the same kind of resources gets submitted after mine and is approved before mine, I know there's a problem.

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      Notes From Under *nix: blas.phemo.us
  2. Impressed by Spotify, but Apple? by Rog7 · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I think it's a great move and a well made app & service like this can only help Apple.

    Unfortunately, I've got the distinct impression that Apple approved this app because it was poised to give them a lot of bad press if they didn't approve it. Maybe if their track record for app approval was a bit better, I'd be throwing kudos Apple's way, but at this point I'm pretty jaded.

    I find lately that I'm quite glad Apple never gained the top spot in the personal computer market, because I dread what sort of control they would impose over my PC. Yeah the alternatives haven't been great, but seeing what they've done with a market where they do have significant share, I shudder thinking about what it would have been like.

    All of the credit should go to Spotify itself. I'd really like to see it brought to North America and specifically Canada, where I can use it. It's really spectacular and more of the revolution in music listening than anything we've seen in a long while.

    1. Re:Impressed by Spotify, but Apple? by mdwh2 · · Score: 5, Insightful

      I mean, after all, they've sold/given away over a billion apps and have approved over 65,000 apps, but hey, their track record for app approval should be a bit better, right?

      Yes, let's compare them to other platforms.

      *checks*

      Oh wait, there isn't any data for how many apps are approved for other platforms, because you don't have to in the first place.

      The issue isn't how many they have approved - whether it's 100, 10,000, or 100 billion. The issue is that they can - and do - refuse to approve an application. If a desktop platform said you couldn't run Firefox, pleading "But they've approved 65,000 other applications" is beside the point.

      But, yeah, let's continue hating on Apple because that's the cool thing geeks do now.

      Not here on Slashdot. And I see you make the Japan-fallacy again - that anyone who doesn't praise Apple must be doing so out of irrational hatred.

  3. N900 by pm_rat_poison · · Score: 4, Insightful

    With the Nokia N900, the Palm Pre and an army of android phones waiting around the corner, maybe dear apple understands they're not so special any more! They can't afford being so hoity-toity with three (android, maemo, webos) fully functional multitasking OS's breathing down their necks

  4. Re:Apple, the new microsoft.... by sopssa · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Yep, Windows OS is quite open (not meaning the OSS way now) compared to Apple's stuff and even Windows Mobile is a lot more open than iPhone, you can install any software on it like on Windows. Hell, you can even get Linux and Android running on it without hacks or jailbreaking.

    Leigh stated that it isn't a ROM hack or anything, but a Linux image running within Windows Mobile. Hmm, a dual boot device could be very enticing for the mobile gadget geek.

  5. Re:It should be noted that the iPhone version... by TuaAmin13 · · Score: 2, Insightful

    I'm thinking this slipped by the cens---I mean, reviewers. For every single overly strict reviewer they have, one or two is probably more lax. That guy, whose job is probably now in jeopardy, approved the app not realizing Apple won't make money, even if it did compete with existing iPhone functionality.

    Either that or they're panicking because of the recent FCC inquiries so they don't want to mess anything up.

    But we all know Apple doesn't panic.