Finally, music streaming service Spotify is jumping into the 21st century by adding video — but only on its mobile apps. The streaming music service is set to begin integrating video clips into its Android app in the coming days and iOS not long after that.
Spotify users have awaited video since May 2015, when Spotify announced that it would be expanding beyond music and into the digital video space with a variety of partners including ESPN, Comedy Central, VICE News and many others.
The move was first reported by the Wall Street Journal and confirmed to Mashable by Spotify,
The videos will be short and contextual, with some partners making original content for Spotify. The launch is a turning point for a company that has at time struggled to turn a profit despite rising subscriber totals.
The U.S., U.K., Germany and Sweden will be the four launch markets for video, which will be accessible by both paid subscribers and unpaid members.
That means Spotify will be pushing out video to a big chunk of its 75 million active users, 20 million of whom pay for the service — but notably without ads, at least for now.
It may just be a matter of time. Paid subscribers generate the bulk of Spotify’s revenue — 92% by one research firm’s estimates. Spotify has long said its model relies on converting unpaid users to subscribers.
Video necessarily won’t change Spotify’s model, but it could ease the company’s reliance on subscribers. Video is among the most lucrative online advertising formats, and one that Spotify has not yet tapped.
