Will Discover on iOS gain more traction than within the web client?
Spotify is tooling up ahead of the looming scrap with Apple's own iTunes Radio and today launched a new version of its iOS app.
The new iPhone app, available to download now, brings the new Discover feature into play to help premium members unearth new music based on their listening habits as well as what's being shared by artists they follow and who's playing in their local area.
The Discover functionality arrived on the desktop back in April and hasn't exactly earned rave reviews as yet. However, it could be more useful on mobile devices, judging by the integration with Spotify's new iPhone app.
It has a streamlined, scrollable UI and, like the desktop version, users can press and hold to play a sample of the suggested song. After a brief play, we can say the feature certainly feels more natural on the touchscreen.
The chance to 'Play Next' or 'Save As Playlist' with one touch is also on board and works particularly well.
Beyond Discover, which will arrive other iterations of the app in the coming weeks, Spotify also boasts of a new 'Now Playing' menu which tells users what's 'Up Next' in the play queue. iPhone and iPod touch users can now edit their playlists more easily on their mobile device.
The updates come a few months before Apple rolls out the free iTunes Radio service, as part of the new iOS 7 operating system.
That app won't give users the same freedom of choice that Spotify does and is geared more towards iTunes downloads, but it definitely poses a threat to Spotify's bottom line.
Check out our iTunes Radio vs Spotify feature to decide for yourself which app is in better shape to win the mobile streaming battle.
Via TechCrunch
