Spotify launches in Italy, Portugal and Poland. Is Asia next?
Hot on the heels of launching in Italy, Portugal and Poland today, is Spotify looking to finally launch in Asia in the coming months?
Spotify’s latest market launches in these three countries brings the total number of countries launched since 2008 to 20. Whilst not many compared to the likes of Deezer, who are now in more than 180 countries, Spotify’s country launches usually receive higher media attention. The person carrying the baton for Spotify is no stranger to the scene in Asia. Sriram Krishnan, whom Spotify hired a year and a half ago, is tasked to manage the new market launches in this part of the world. Spotify also recently announced that it is hiring in Singapore and Hong Kong.
Both country positions are ad-sales related, indicating the Spotify is preparing to start monetizing from their potential user base via advertising. Hopefully, we won’t be waiting too long for Spotify to arrive in this part of the world.
Music industry insiders have also been craving for Spotify’s presence in the region; Spotify is allegedly the second largest revenue source for labels worldwide and CEO Daniel Ek recently remarked on how it plans to pay out US$500 million to rights owners in this year alone.
With Deezer rapidly launching in new markets and its recent change in strategy to provide freemium, ad-supported subscriptions worldwide, will Spotify respond soon by taking a stronger hold of Asia and especially Southeast Asia?
Deezerはサービスを新規市場で素早くローンチしていき、最近ではフリーミアムの広告付きサービスを提供するという戦略の変更を行っているが、Spotifyはアジア市場 ーー特に東南アジアーー をよりしっかりと掴んで対応していくことができるのだろうか?
Deezerが急速に新規市場を開拓し、世界中にフリーミアムで広告からの収益に支えられた会員登録制を提供するという戦略に最近転換するなかで、Spotifyはアジア、特に東南アジアにおける基盤を強化することによって、素早く反応できるのであろうか。