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Facebook Partners With Spotify

Facebook has reportedly partnered with music-streaming service Spotify for a new offering, which could debut in as little as two weeks. "The integrated service is currently going through testing, but when launched, Facebook users will see a Spotify icon appear on the left side of their newsfeed, along with the usual icons for photos and events," reports Forbes, citing sources.

"The benefit to the industry would come via monthly subscriptions for premium access to streaming Web sites or from buying CDs or downloads of the music they discover and assemble on sites like Spotify," according to Reuters, which was filled about the deal by Spotify board member and Facebook friend Sean Parker.

Should Apple be preparing to wave a white flag? Not at all, insists All Things Digital. "If Facebook and Spotify do deepen their relationship, it will be a nice feature for Facebook and a nice promotional outlet for Spotify," it writes. "But it will still be the same service: A limited amount of free music, and the option to upgrade to a paid subscription."

What's more, as Digital Trends writes, "If the two companies do announce ... a partnership, the service can only be rolled out in the countries where Spotify already has deals with music companies," i.e., not the United States. "Spotify is, however, planning to launch in the US, possibly this year, though no date has yet been fixed."

"Our sources are pouring ice cold water on the idea," TechCrunch writes of the would be deal. "Even through Spotify is doing very well on its home turf of Sweden... it has yet to launch in the US. And a launch in the next two weeks looks highly optimistic.  Citing sources, TechCrunch adds: "Spotify has in fact secured two big unnamed record labels -- but needs two more labels to come on board before it can launch in the US."

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