Spotify Brings Free Streaming To Windows Phone

Spotify Ltd. extended its free, ad-supported streaming option to Windows Phone Tuesday. Based in London and Stockholm, the privately held company announced in a blog post that an update to its app in the Windows Phone Store would enable the feature, months after its debut on Android and iPhone devices.

The Windows Phone version of Spotify allows users to listen to their own playlists, and “shuffle play” any artist’s entire discography from the service. The free version of the app, also available as a $9.99 per month on-demand streaming service, includes access to Spotify’s playlists based on different moods and activities, such as “going to the gym.”

The new Spotify app for Windows Phone encompasses improvements to its discovery and search features, the company said. More than one user used the blog post as a sounding board to complain that Spotify Connect still did not work for Windows Phone. Spotify Connect is the company’s direct-to-speakers feature where a smartphone acts as a remote control for a larger system.

Spotify reignited talk about an initial public offering in the U.S. this month by advertising again for someone to fill a certain important job: The position as an “External Reporting Specialist” would help Spotify prepare for worldwide financial standards, according to Reuters. Founded in Stockholm in 2006, Spotify has dual headquarters there and in London.