Spotify launches free, ad-supported music streaming on Windows Phone

Spotify today announced a major update to its Windows Phone app, finally introducing a free music streaming option to the platform more than eight months after doing so on iOS and Android.

Previously, only premium Spotify subscribers could use the company’s Windows Phone app. Now that’s changed, with an update directly endorsed by Microsoft’s own corporate vice president, Steve Guggenheimer: “This puts a much-loved listening experience in the hands of Windows Phone fans across the world,” said Guggenheimer, “and beautifully showcases both our platform and the Spotify service.”

Try getting a statement like that out of Apple.

The update doesn’t render Spotify’s premium service useless. As on iOS and Android, Spotify’s free streaming option on Windows Phone only enables users to make and shuffle playlists. If you want to actually play any song you want at the drop of a dime, you still need to fork over $9.99 a month.

Still, the update is noteworthy for Windows Phone users and follows the same old Windows Phone narrative of delayed adoption.