Spotify iPhone App Approved/Snow Leopard Available
Spotify has managed to jump the many, varied and often bemusing hoops of the iPhone App approval process, and get accepted. Despite being a very clear and possibly quite threatening competitor to the iTunes Music Store, the app will be rolled out in the UK, Sweden, Norway, Finland, France and Spain very soon. Irish users may be left waiting for a while.
This is a significant development for many companies, perhaps including Google, who have had their Google Voice app rejected recently, on the grounds that it altered the iPhone “user experience”. It will also be of interest to RealNetworks, who have pre-announced the Rhapsody iPhone App to try to force Apple’s hand into acceptance.
The pre-announcement strategy, also applied by Spotify (with YouTube videos and lots of press) may be working. Apple are feeling the pressure, not only from users, but more importantly, from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), to be more open about their app acceptance policy.
Rumours have been floating around that Apple are planning a subscription based model for the next generation of iTunes software, which may be available as soon as September. Is it possible that Apple are just going to buy Spotify? After all, the iTunes engine was originally developed by Casady & Greene, and not Apple, and they are not shy of buying the right software when it suits them. Funnily enough, it’s Facebook and not Apple who have been allegedly courting Spotify, but the Apple/Spotify match seems like a no-brainer to me.
Oh yeah, and Snow Leopard’s available today too.