Wow, if nothing else, new European music service Spotify, which is yet to launch in the U.S., has captured everyone’s attention. TechCrunch Europe reports that Swedish telecommunication service provider Telia will soon release a Spotify-branded mobile phone.
A source with knowledge of the deal tells us that London, UK based INQ is developing the Spotify-branded phone. The company already creates phones with tight integrations to social networking services like Facebook, Skype and Windows Live Messenger.
INQ is backed by Li Ka-Shing, who recently invested in Spotify.
We’re still gathering details on this, such as date of availability and price. The phone is in the design stage right now, and there are plans, we’re told, to roll it out to all markets via partnerships with various carriers.
From music to phone . Looks like they are following Apple’s footsteps.
From picture looks more like a social network application on mobile device.
Nokia already sells ComesWithMusic phones in many countries. US is supposed to get it in 2010.
ComesWithMusic is all you can eat package.
Spotify is great. Bring it here ASAP
INQ is owned by Hutchison, right? So it would really only be on 3 in Hong Kong and Europe and maybe Sprint in America, not “Various Carriers”
Spotify is the best thing that happened to online music! I discovered while I moved back to Europe this summer and nothing compares to its quality, simplicity, features list, …
Hopefully you’ll enjoy it too soon in the US !
Spotify is really great, hopefully the planed phone too.
In a deal announced today between Spotify and Telia, Spotify will be integrated in to the set-top boxes that Telia use for their IPTV.
The INQ-Phone is already available
… in good old AUSTRIA!
http://su.pr/2Gdhec
… and quite cheap!
http://su.pr/2mslQU
Can they stop making deals and promotions left and right and focus on their service?
More and more bands are removing themselves the more Spotify flaunts itself while connection, browsing and simply starting the songs (ir)regularly breaks down more and more.
They’re saying they’re focusing on scale, well, do it then. Not just signing up consumers but also keeping pace.
I can’t believe I spent 999SEK on this…
Whats the penetration of previous INQ phones?
assuming few hundred thousand members for spotify?
not bad.
inq are a subsidary of hutchinson. however i don’t think there is any exclusivity on the handsets they offer. It just hapens to be that 3 have had first dibs on the devices.