Streaming leader Spotify on Wednesday announced an expansion into video and original content, reaching beyond music as the company faces challenges to its dominance and strives to turn a profit.
Spotify, by far the largest company in the booming streaming industry, said it wanted to turn into a broader, and more personalized, platform to bring in subscribers throughout the day.
The upgraded Spotify platform will for the first time support videos and offer news and other non-music content provided by major media companies.
Daniel Ek, the founder and chief executive of the eight-year-old Swedish company, said that Spotify was recognizing the all-encompassing power of smartphones in modern life.
Spotify's core mission remains music, but it wants to give users more incentives to turn to Spotify to read the news or watch videos, too, Ek said.
“There is an incredible opportunity to soundtrack your entire day -- and your entire life -- in all of its complexity,” the 32-year-old entrepreneur told a launch event at a converted New York warehouse off the Hudson River.
Ek said that Spotify had partnered with a wide range of media companies including major US networks, the BBC, Vice and comedy network Adult Swim.
While providing podcasts and other production from media partners, Spotify said it also planned original content.
In one of the more inventive features, Spotify unveiled a new function for runners that will detect motion through the smartphone and select music based on the pace.
The music was directed by superstar Dutch DJ Tiesto, who said he faced an artistic challenge finding different speeds of beats for a full work-out.
“We think that music is moving beyond just linear, one-way playback,” said Spotify's chief product officer, Gustav Soderstrom.
“We're going to take this approach to many more parts of your life very soon,” he said.
Spotify will also make more recommendations based on listening habits, taking its cue from a popular feature on Internet radio leader Pandora.
Ek said the updated platform would be available immediately in the United States, Britain, Germany and Sweden, and would be rolled out in the coming weeks to the 54 other countries and territories where Spotify is present. Spotify is not yet available in South Africa. – AFP