Microsoft is probably feeling pressured from more than one angle since it has not only been struggling with EU’s fair trade laws but also competing developers. Internet Explorer market shares are falling steadily and when Google announced its Chrome OS it became a serious threat to Microsoft’s Windows operating systems. Microsoft continues to come up with new solutions and one of the coming is a music service inspired by Spotify, based here in Stockholm.
Spotify is a streaming music service consisting of a small application that connects to a gigantic online music library. Streaming music over the Internet with monthly subscriptions is a highly interesting concept that many, including yours truly, uses.
Spotify can also be used for free, but you then have to endure commercial breaks now and then, just like regular radio, but with Spotify you control the music.
Microsoft has revealed that it is planning a streaming music service of its own, not entirely unlike Spotify.
“Music is an important area for Microsoft. We are looking at launching a music streaming service imminently. It will be a similar principle to Spotify but we are still examining how the business model will work. We are looking at how other similar businesses have structured their business models and trying to figure out what will work best for both consumer and Microsoft.”
Even if Microsoft is pretty restrictive on the details of its Spotify challenger it looks to use a similar subscription operation with a free but ad-supported version, a good decision in our opinion.
Spotify – (not my music secltion though)
Spotify is an interesting concept and hopefully Microsoft’s interest can spur the developers to improve the system and broaden the already quite wide assortment of music.
Microsoft will tailor the service, that it hopes to be ready by the end of July, to make it compatible with the video game console Xbox 360 and media player Zune. There are also plans to let users download songs as with a regular music store.
