Spotify released an update to its app for Windows Phone users that allows them to get free, ad-supported music streaming.
The update finally brings the app to rough parity with its siblings on iOS and Android, which got the ability to stream gratis in December of last year.
Like the capability Spotify brought to its other mobile apps, users can listen to a shuffled version of an artist’s entire discography on demand, or listen to playlists they’ve made or pre-selected. It’s not quite unlimited, on-demand streaming – which the company reserves for Premium subscribers – but it does provide free users more than just access to Spotify Radio like they had in the past. There are a few more rules about what users can and can’t do, which are explained here.
Today’s update will bring an end to one of the key problems users had with the app, assuming reviews on the Windows Phone Store are any indication. While the app has a perfectly reasonable four-star average, there are several reviews complaining about the lack of a free experience compared to Android and iOS.
The time it took Spotify to update this app is indicative of one of the biggest problems with Windows Phone right now: it’s just not getting the same features and apps that are showing up first on other platforms.
Microsoft made a big bet with its acquisition of Nokia, but if third-party developers continue to delay their adoption of Windows Phone, that may be bad news for the platform’s long-term prospects.
Windows Phone users can download the app for free here.
