The Spotify app on an iPhone.
Fabian Sommer | Image Alliance | Getty Images
Audio streaming service Spotify plans to almost double its geographic presence and launch in 85 more countries. Its platform will be expanded to include 36 languages.
The Swedish company announced international expansion on Tuesday at a live streaming event starring Justin Bieber, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.
Spotify said expanding into developing countries in Asia, Africa, the Pacific and the Caribbean will allow another billion people to use its platform.
In the next few days, Spotify will be rolled out in countries like Nigeria, Tanzania, Ghana, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bhutan, Samoa, Jamaica, Bahamas and Belize.
“These steps represent the broadest market expansion by Spotify to date,” said Spotify. After the expansion, Spotify will be available in over 170 countries.
Launched just a year after the first iPhone was released in 2008, Spotify has amassed 345 million monthly active users in 95 countries. 155 million of these are premium subscribers.
While Spotify began as a music streaming platform, users can now listen to podcasts, audiobooks, and meditations.
The Stockholm-based company has spent hundreds of millions of dollars securing exclusive podcast series, including a new Barack and Michelle Obama show starring Bruce Springsteen.
Competition with technology giants
Spotify faces stiff competition from Apple, Amazon, and Google, who have launched their own music streaming services in recent years.
The company’s biggest competitor is arguably Apple Music, and Spotify is embroiled in a bitter antitrust dispute with Apple. Spotify doesn’t think it’s fair that Apple should pay a commission or “tax” when users subscribe to and pay for its service through Apple’s App Store. She filed a complaint with the European Commission in March 2019 and an investigation is ongoing.
Spotify’s share price fell 4% to $ 350 on Monday and fell another 0.5% to $ 348 after close of trading.
