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Spotify Moves in on iPhoneNow begins the wait.
Whatever you're doing right now - stop. Reading an RSS feed? Then look no more. Visiting your favourite news sites? Forget it. Today Spotify announced their iPhone client and submitted it to Apple's 'App Store'.
Just check out the demo below to see what's coming. Spotify's turned the entire music industry over on its pointy head.
Spotify are now poised to enter the crucial US market even with their desktop client. The 'big four' are ostensibly clamouring for it.
But will the app make it past Apple's App Store nannies? Will Apple permit this app to run on their mobile device in their 'walled garden' - and thereby potentially kill off their own iTunes store?
For what iTunes customers pay for ten tracks Spotify users can get six million. It's not close - it's a rout.
If Apple devise an excuse for not signing the Spotify iPhone client they could be opening themselves for a humungoid lawsuit. But if they permit it they risk losing everything.
Spotify for the iPhone beats the iTunes idea at its own game. Previously people intimated they preferred iTunes because they could then listen to their music anywhere, connected or not. But guess what? So does the Spotify iPhone client - you download your playlists, disconnect, and can still listen.
'It's going to be very interesting to see if Apple lets this through or sees us as competition - fingers crossed', says Spotify rep Jim Butcher. 'Whether Apple approves this app for widespread use or not, I have it installed and you'd have to pry it out of my cold, dead iPhone before I'll delete it', says Wired's Eliot Van Buskirk, undoubtedly voicing the sentiments of many. The thing's so danged fast it's unbelievable - it rivals iTunes in speed and with iTunes you've already got all the tracks on your hard drive.
Set to Take the US by Storm
Spotify is a runaway success in Europe. The US market is next and has been in the company's sights for some time.
'We feel very comfortable in that the labels want to see Spotify in the US', says Daniel Ek. 'Our hope is to get something up and running before the end of the year.'
Spotify get about 1,000 inquiries per week regarding a release date over the pond.
To deal with the financial side of the business they plan to open a branch office in New York City.
See Also Spotify: Spotify for iPhone YouTube: Spotify for iPhone preview BBC News dot.life: Spotify - going mobile BBC News: Spotify sets its sights on iPhone Wired: Spotify Set to Take America by Storm Macworld UK: Spotify coming to iPhone, iPod touch? IDG.se: Spotify för iPhone väntar på Apples godkännande Wired: US Exclusive: Hands-On with the Spotify iPhone App
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