Video streaming has finally arrived to Spotify on Android devices, giving you more to do than just listen to audio. As earlier reports revealed, content is available from providers like NBC, Comedy Central and BBC, along with popular video podcasts. To access the new feature, go to “browse” and select “shows,” or check the “video” option in your library. You can then find content providers and follow shows or playlist “bundles” of video, just like you would with audio playlists. The company said that it’s aiming to suggest video content that’s in line with music that you’re already listening to.
The feature is supposed to arrive to iOS soon, but Spotify has no immediate plans to launch it on the desktop app. “Obviously our primary user is a music fan, and they are not necessarily leaning in and looking into the app,” VP Shiva Rajaraman told the WSJ. Most of the clips are relatively short, but unlike with the regular version of YouTube, for instance, they’re ad-free. Given that you can watch them without a subscription, it’s not yet clear how Spotify plans to monetize the videos, however. With 75 million users, they’ll no doubt boost the company’s bandwidth requirements significantly.
Contributor | Steve Dent
