Question about Spotify Premium and (old!) phones

[MajorFubar]

Sorry if this is a dumb question.
You've got to remember that while I'm reasonably IT-savvy, this streaming lark is all new to me.

I'm a Spotify Unlimited user (joined a week ago).
I'm tempted by the promise of being able to use Spotify offline and mobile on my phone if I upgrade to Premium, But something tells me it won't work for me, because my Sony W810i isn't a Smartphone. All it can do is play MP3s, which itself was reasonably hi-tech six years ago when I bought it. Would it still somehow work with my phone or will it only work on phones which you can download the Spotify app to?

I'm still tempted anyway so I can take advantage of the better SQ (just for a second parking the debate/rumour that Premium streams aren't guaranteed to be always 320K)

TYVM

 

[Lee H]

You'll need the app.

Also, I'm not sure the app streams at 320 ever. I seem to recall that it's only the desktop and sonos streams that are 320 (most of the time)

 

[Anonymous]

Phone streams are limited to 160. And no it won't work on that Sony, but you could pick up a PAYG Orange Stockholm for £69. Not bad for a touchscreen MP3 player with Spotify support (if you don't use the phone).

It's Android, iPhone and Symbian AFAIK on Spotify.

And 99% of Premium (desktop) streams are 320kbps (And I can't for the life of me remember where I read it).

 

[MajorFubar]

Thanks chaps, pretty much as I thought then.

 

[HDNumpty]

Sniv, there is an option on the iphone app for low bandwidth/high quality. Does this not deliver 320kbps? It certainly sounds like it?

Oh...and just get an iPhone. You won't regret it and it will solve your Spotify mobile problem!

 

[Anonymous]

Sniv, there is an option on the iphone app for low bandwidth/high quality. Does this not deliver 320kbps? It certainly sounds like it?

Oh...and just get an iPhone. You won't regret it and it will solve your Spotify mobile problem!

I have an Android and symbian, but either way, the phone is capped at 160 kbps. The low bandwidth is 96.

I doubt anyone can tell the difference between 160 and 320 on a phone to be honest, 160 is near as dammit transparent. I use 96 most of the time (in the car) and it's at least as good as the radio.

 

[gowiththeflow]

And 99% of Premium (desktop) streams are 320kbps (And I can't for the life of me remember where I read it).

I believe that may be wishfull thinking at the present time.

Back in July, it was widely reported in the Tech media, that only about a third of Spotify Premium content was being pushed out at that bit rate, with two thirds being at a lower 160 kbps. Even more recently, it has been said that some brand new albums have only been available at 160 kbps.

Spotify themselves have since said that they now have approximately 60% of their catalogue available in 320 kbps, so if that's correct the situation is improving. Remember, the official wording is "up to 320 kbps".

There is conjecture over the situation with the classical music content, where there has supposed to have been more of an effort in the last few months to upgrade content to 320 kbps. It has been claimed by enthusiastic subscribers that it's now up to 99%, but that's unverified as far as I am aware.

There's lots of info out on the web to research what's on offer. Here's a useful link that explains how it all works......

http://pansentient.com/2011/04/spotify-technology-some-stats-and-how-spotify-works/

.

 

[Anonymous]

http://www.spotifyclassical.com/2011/07/spotify-bitrategate-story-so-far.html

"We have a catalog of more than 15 million tracks and more than 99.9% are available in high bitrate (320 kbps) for our Premium users" - Official statement.[/b]

 

[gowiththeflow]

Thanks for the link Sniviler. That thread is one of many that have highlighted the shortcomings until most recently.

If Spotify's claims are accurate, then that's good news and a vast improvement.

From anecdotal evidence, there seems to have been a much greater effort put in to upgrading their content over the last 4 months or so. Coincidental with the US launch and the widespread adverse publicity perhaps?

Just one note of caution; they alluded to "almost 99%" at the beginning of this year, when replying on to critism on one of the online Spotify forums. That's before they were caught out. Hopefully, this time their statement is closer to the truth.

.

 

[Anonymous]

I certainly get the feeling it's of very good quality. I don't feel the need to play my own files at all these days, which I sometimes did.

And with me playing it through the squeezebox I get gapless playback too.

For me Spotify's library simply feels like part of my own. Worth the £10 admission (and probably more if I had to).