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Spotify Unveils New Home-Audio Initiative

New York — Internet music service Spotify announced an upgrade that will enable consumers to switch instantly from streaming Spotify on a smartphone to streaming Spotify through a home audio product.

 A single user would not be able to stream Spotify to multiple home audio products at one time, though multiple Spotify account holders would each be able to simultaneously stream to a separate device at one time, a spokesman said.

Spotify promotes its new Spotify Connect service as reducing battery drain on mobile devices, and it contends playback inside a home won’t suffer because of spotty cellular coverage.

 Spotify, which is available in 28 countries including the U.S., delivers on-demand access to more than 20 million tracks from which users can create playlists.

 Spotify described the new service as working like this: Consumers who are streaming Spotify on their smartphones can, after entering their home, turn on a home audio product to begin playing a playlist right where it left off. Users can then use a tablet to control music playback and switch playback to other Spotify Connect devices, such as an iPod Touch in a docking speaker in another room. The tablet app, however, would not remotely turn on home audio devices, a spokesman said.

 The Spotify Connect logo will appear on audio products later this year from audio companies whose networked products already stream Spotify. Those suppliers include Bang & Olufsen, Denon, and Marantz. Onkyo and Integra also offer home products that stream Spotify, but Spotify didn’t announce plans for Onkyo and Integra to offer Spotify Connect.

 Spotify also said Pioneer and Yamaha, which currently don’t offer Spotify-connected products in the U.S., would participate in the Spotify Connect program. Other participating companies will include Argon, Philips, Revo and Teufel. Additional brands will be announced, the company said

 Spotify Connect will roll out to Spotify Premium subscribers on the iPhone, iPad and home audio systems over the coming months, the company said. Spotify Connect for Android and desktop computers will follow on an undisclosed date.

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