Spotify video streaming reportedly coming to Android this week, iOS to follow

[Wireless News]

http://l.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/y7B8O0AnKFBAs1oWkfLwug--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3NfbGVnbztmaT1maWxsO2g9ODY7cT03NTt3PT EzMA--/http://media.zenfs.com/en-US/homerun/digital_trends_973/4a6a55382267c656bd97d749c1ddfa93 (http://news.yahoo.com/spotify-video-streaming-reportedly-coming-142223397.html)It may seem it was forever ago that Spotify announced it would be adding video to its streaming repertoire, but it was only May of last year. Still, it’s been a long wait for some, but one that finally could be over, as the feature will reportedly begin rolling out this week. Video streaming will debut on the Spotify Android app this week, The Wall Street Journal reports, with the feature coming to iOS users next week. The feature will initially be available to those in the U.S., U.K., Germany, and Sweden. Related: -Spotify looks to take it to the next level with streaming video The company has been testing video gradually over the past several months with less than 10 percent of its users across the four countries, according to Spotify vice president Shiva Rajaraman. While some may have complained about the company taking so long between announcing the feature and launching it, he says this timing was always the plan. “We are at the end of a journey of testing,” Rajaraman said. “We are going out effectively as planned. Our goal was largely to get a wide breadth of content and experiment and test.” Companies providing content include the BBC, Comedy Central, ESPN, Maker Studios, and Vice Media, and like YouTube, much of the video content will be made up of shorter clips. There are also plans for original, music-themed series exclusive to the service, with food and travel video network Tastemade named as one provider. According to Rajaraman, Spotify has found that testers responded best to videos tied to the kind of music people like or music in general, with Epic Rap Battles doing particularly well. Testing also saw the company streamline the way content is presented, focusing on packages like “News of the Week” and “Laughs at Lunch.” Users won’t need to worry about whether or not they have an active Spotify subscription, as the new video streaming will be available to all. Rajaraman says the addition of video “is fundamentally about giving music fans what they want.” Related: -Spotify acquires two companies that could see it adding more social features With the competition —-mainly YouTube —-so well entrenched, it remains to be seen how well the new feature will take off with users. With even the heaviest Spotify users, the service is normally operating in the background, and Rajaraman admits the company faces a challenge when it comes to getting users to turn to the app for video. Still, the company seems confident. “We are doing fine on monetization,” Rajaraman said. “This is primarily a demand play.” Also watch: Metallica’s Kirk Hammett Stomps on Spotify’s Inferior Sound Please enable Javascript to watch this video



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