Spotify Takes on Apple and YouTube: 5 Things to Know About the New Streaming War
The Spotify Event in 80 Seconds
Spotify just laid out its plans to be more than a streaming music service, moving to add videos and podcasts in a new service that will now be available in the U.S., U.K., Germany, and Sweden. The changes chart a path that puts Spotify into direct competition with YouTube at a time when Apple is planning to relaunch its own streaming service. Here are the five most important takeaways from Wednesday's Spotify event:
1. There’s Now Video on Spotify: Most of the speculation in advance of Spotify’s announcement revolved around video, and the company touted a wide roster of content partners that include Comedy Central, Vice News, NBC, ABC, ESPN, and MTV. Spotify isn’t the first streaming subscription service to include videos—Tidal and Xbox Music have libraries of music-related video content—but its service will stretch further into comedy, news, and other non-musical areas. The focus is on short clips; Spotify isn't saying its subscriptions will make it easier for you to cancel your cable package.