Full Text Of Daniel Ek’s Spotify, Samsung Partnership Q&A

Spotify announced a partnership with Samsung that makes it the preferred music provider for the consumer electronics giant's tens of millions of devices. The deal not only gives Spotify access to Samsung's massive customer base, but offers Apple-like seamless music integration across devices.

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To announce and explain the Samsung partnership. Spotify CE Daniel Ek offered a company produced Q&A:

Q: What inspired this integration?

A: Since Spotify’s inception, we’ve studied how people use Spotify. We know that listeners stream different kinds of music at different times, in different places, and most importantly, on different devices. We think music should be easy to access on ALL of your devices—and we want it to be seamless to switch from one device to another.

Q: Why did you choose to partner with Samsung?

A: Samsung makes devices for every aspect of our lives – everything from smartphones and TVs, to tablets, speakers, and watches. And we have designed Spotify to deliver personalized music to consumers around the world – wherever they are, across millions of devices. This partnership with Samsung reduces the friction for users to get Spotify up and running on multiple Samsung devices once the accounts have been linked. It allows us to create a seamless music listening experience together for the user that would be hard for either of us to build alone. It’s a great fit.

Q: What can users look forward to right away?

A. First off, users can get excited about Spotify becoming part of the set-up experience on a Samsung device from the very beginning. For example, when someone buys a phone, the user can easily discover the Spotify app on Samsung Smart Switch. And soon, Samsung Smart TV users will be able to play Spotify through the SmartThings app. It's a new level of integration that will allow Spotify to be easily accessible and discoverable on Samsung Devices. As you move from room to room, your devices will be aware of your location and prompt you to effortlessly transition your listening between them.

Next, Spotify is excited to be even more deeply integrated with Bixby, Samsung's premier voice solution, and serve as the only music service to be fully integrated with Samsung Music. When a user asks Bixby for music, Bixby will look to Spotify—even if that user has never used Spotify before—allowing listeners to receive recommendations from Spotify, discover new playlists, and create new musical experiences.

Q: How does this “seamless control” make switching between devices easier?

A: The short answer is that on several key Samsung surfaces, you’ll be able to link your Samsung and Spotify accounts to play music across all Samsung devices.

The [slightly] longer answer is that – for example – when you buy a new Samsung phone and use the SmartThings app to set up your Samsung Smart TV or Galaxy Home, you will be prompted to link your Spotify account. So right from the beginning, you’ll have that collaboration. It only takes a few simple steps.

Additionally, we're also making it easier to move playback to various hardware devices with Spotify Connect. When a user enters WiFi while listening to music on mobile with the Spotify app, they’ll be able to move playback from the mobile lock screen, instead of having to go back in the Spotify app.

Q: How will this integration benefit existing Samsung users?

A: As Samsung’s new go-to music provider, Spotify is giving hundreds of millions of Samsung listeners better access to our 35 million songs, as well as our innovative Discovery and Personalization features, connecting more artists with more fans.

We believe that this significant long-term partnership will provide Samsung users across millions of devices with the best possible music streaming experience, and make discovering new music easier than ever – with even more opportunities to come.

Of course, it will also help artists reach new fans. Our goal has always been to make music accessible to everyone by giving a million creative artists the opportunity to live off their art and billions of fans the opportunity to enjoy and be inspired by it.

Q: Do Samsung and Spotify users have any other features to look forward to going forward?

A: We’re excited for the future of this incredible partnership. Users will be able to discover and enjoy new music in ways that have never before been possible.

As my friend DJ Koh (President & CEO, IT & Mobile Communications, Samsung Electronics) said today, "With Spotify, Samsung Galaxy users will be able to enjoy seamless music experiences across all our devices. We're excited about today's announcement, and it's just the start of things to come!"