Spotify has officially launched in India. With a population of 1.3 billion people, this represents a huge opportunity for Spotify. And the music streaming service is seizing that opportunity by offering Indian residents a better deal than the rest of the world.
Spotify has wanted to launch in India for some time, with the first rumors sprouting in 2016. However, Spotify faced licensing issues which delayed its launch. And Spotify is launching in India despite an ongoing legal battle with Warner Music Group.
None of which will concern Indian music lovers, who can now use Spotify for the first time.
Spotify Officially Launches in India
Spotify’s offering in India is markedly different from the rest of the world. For starters, Spotify Free users will be able to play every song on demand on their smartphone. Whereas users in the U.S. and beyond are stuck listening to songs on shuffle.
Then there’s the pricing for those who decide to pay for Spotify. Indian users can make use of a 30-day free trial, and then pay just Rs 119 ($ 1.67) per month for Spotify Premium. They can also choose to pay for access for one day, one week, one month, and more.
In the Spotify press release, Daniel Ek, the Spotify founder and CEO, said:
“As Spotify grows, our goal is to bring millions of artists and billions of fans together from every country and background. India has an incredibly rich music culture, and to best serve this market, we’re launching a custom-built experience.”
This custom-built experience means Spotify is making the app available in multiple local languages. There’s also playlists made especially for India and specific Indian cities. And then there are the playlists featuring the best songs from Indian movies.
Download: Spotify for Android | iOS (Free, with paid subscription available)
Spotify Faces Stiff Local Competition
Spotify has launched in India at a critical time. The streaming music service has 200 million users, 96 million of whom pay for the privilege. However, Spotify is facing stiff competition, particularly from Apple Music, which is growing at an incredible rate.
Given the incredibly competitive pricing, plus the localized content, Spotify stands a good chance of successfully penetrating the Indian market. However, it will have to go some to overtake the local competition such as Gaana, JioSaavn, and Wynk.
If you’re an Indian resident trying Spotify for the first time, be sure to check out our unofficial guide to Spotify.
Read the full article: Spotify Is Now Available in India
