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Spotify To Launch New Video Product This Week (thestack.com)

Posted by samzenpus on from the time-to-watch dept.

An anonymous reader writes: After first announcing the introduction of a video streaming service in May last year, Spotify is finally launching the feature this week. The Swedish company has taken its time tinkering with the new product and beta testing it on groups for months, readying it for its widespread rollout. Not all of the video content will be music-related – keeping the product's potential wide open to different verticals. Spotify has already confirmed partnerships with the BBC, Vice Media, Maker Studios, ESPN, and Comedy Central, among other popular brands. Initially, the video service will only be available in the mobile version of the Spotify app for consumers in the U.S., the UK, Germany and Sweden. It will roll out on Android first, before arriving on iOS a week later. It is also expected to be an ad-free feature at launch, but it is doubtful that it will remain like this for long.

9 comments

  1. OOoooooo. To be continued In Other Words! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Marvelous! Love the drama! Love the anticipation. Keeps me wait-yait-yay-ton!

  2. Not another one by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    It was great when Netflix was the only major streaming outlet. A veritable one stop shop for everything I wanted to watch. Now its a fucktonne of reality-show-Esq production quality shite with the occasional diamond in the ruff, just like every other streaming service. I don't care how much it would have cost to keep that level of choice available but some of us recognize the value in not having to be signed up for every Johnny-come-lately streaming service.

    1. Re:Not another one by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      It was great when you started your lock-in period and now it sucks? Big surprise. You sound like a drug addict. Streaming services are crap and they will always be. Give me a non-DRM video file to download or don't give me anything! And since that will never happen because of the stupid greed in the media business, I will get just what I want for free anyway and they will get no money at all from me. Sometimes I feel a little sorry for them, but that feeling lasts a very short time.

  3. more babys being born with vital organs on outside by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    spirit of creation knows we're in trouble? mom help us...

  4. I wonder what more people have asked for by grahamtriggs · · Score: 1

    What has been requested more - video streaming, or lossless compression for audio?

    I suspect the latter.

    1. Re:I wonder what more people have asked for by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Lossless? Are you delusional?

    2. Re:I wonder what more people have asked for by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Lossless audio compression is nice. Video compression, something like ZPEG would be nice, but it really doesn't need lossless at this time.

      As for Spotify, I'll probably pass. For a long while they felt they were too good to dip their toe in the US market, so services like Rdio (RIP) came around and were of better quality. Even with Spotify and Rdio turfed, Google Music and Amazon's service are still leap years ahead.

      As an added bonus, Google and Amazon's streaming services require linking to a Facebook account.

  5. Rental vs. purchase by tepples · · Score: 1

    Streaming services are crap and they will always be. Give me a non-DRM video file to download or don't give me anything!

    Traditionally, publishers are willing to offer rental cheaper than purchase, leaving purchase for things like Frozen and Shrek 2 that get watched repeatedly. Digital restrictions management on things like Netflix is used to enforce the rental terms. The only way non-DRM is likely to happen is as a purchase equivalent. Are you willing to pay $20 to watch a movie once?