Spotify, INQ and 3 team up – is the Spotify mobile on the way?
We've been biting our fingernails down to stumps worrying that Apple won't approve the Spotify iPhone app. But it looks like Spotify will be coming to more mobiles, not just Google Android handsets and iPhone
In a doozy of a deal, Chinese investment firm, the Li Ka-Shing Foundation, has taken a major stake in Spotify. Why should you care about financial jiggery-pokery? Well because Ka-Shing (the man) is chairman of Hutchinson Whampoa – owners of 3 and mobile makers INQ.
Spotify has been in talks with mobile carriers about including the service as part of an all-inclusive tariff for some time. But if it comes together with 3 for the payment plan and INQ for Spotify focused phones, it could be massive.
Spotify is also planning to bring the service to phones rocking Nokia's S60 OS. That's another tricky area though. Just as Apple wants to protect iTunes, Nokia has a lot riding on its Comes With Music deal.
A triple threat of 3, INQ and Spotify could be a truly exciting thing to see. Bundling Spotify access on the go as part of your mobile contract could well be the result. Would that tempt you to jump to 3? Let us know in the comments below.
(via The Guardian)
Comments
steelneil81
2 years ago
no thanks... I've just jumped from 3 as the customer service is rubbish and their tarrifs and phone selections are minimal.
hyperfee
2 years ago
If the iPhone remains out of my price range at the end of the year, then yes, I will definately consider an INQ phone - especially if Spotify is bundled as part of the package at a reasonable price: ie. <£20
daviddotfrost
2 years ago
Yes, that would be great - I wonder if they would make available on the Sony Ericsson range - a £5 unlimited internet access fee per month would be well worth it.