Spotify announces messaging feature for free and premium tier users
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A Spotify messaging feature will be available on mobile devices of users aged 16 and older in selected markets starting this week.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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STOCKHOLM – Spotify Technology will start rolling out a messaging feature to both free and premium subscription tiers as the music streaming giant seeks to attract more users and fend off competition.
The messaging feature will allow users to chat and share music with people they have interacted with on Spotify, the Swedish company said on Aug 26.
It will be available on mobile devices of users aged 16 and older in selected markets starting this week.
Spotify had a similar messaging feature earlier, but had removed it in 2017 over low engagement. This time, the company is banking on the sharp growth in subscribers over the past few years to revive the feature and grab market share.
The company has been focused on boosting margins through price hikes while balancing user growth amid intensifying competition from rivals such as Apple Music, Amazon Music and YouTube.
The music streamer, which had 696 million monthly active users in the second quarter, is investing in new features as it targets one billion, according to a Financial Times report on Aug 24.
It has been expanding its video content library, including through a partner programme that offers monetisation options for podcast creators. REUTERS
