Spotify CEO Daniel Ek has said today that the service will likely not hit the U.S. this year, despite promises since 2009.
While still hopeful, Elk says the company now cannot “commit to a specific date.”
When it does launch, however, it will cost $10 per month, much cheaper than the 10 euros it costs currently in EU nations.
During the interview, Elk also denied having knowledge of Apple knowingly painting Spotify in an ugly light to the Big 4 record labels in an effort to keep their monopoly on the digital music business.
“I don’t actually try to focus on what Apple is doing, or what others are doing,” he added. “I am, first and foremost, a user.”
Whether or not Apple has had any say in the decision, the American labels have made it clear they are not close to signing any Spotify deal for the U.S., even though similar deals are already in place in Europe.
Result for: music business
Microsoft has confirmed some major organizational changes to its Entertainment and Devices unit following the departure of Corporate Vice President Enrique Rodriguez, who has reportedly decided to pursue other interests. Under Rodriquez were teams for Zune Software & Services, Mediaroom IPTV and Media Center. Those have now been moved to Microsoft’s Interactive Entertainment Business (IEB).
The IEB division is also part of Entertainment and Devices, and is in charge of Xbox development, Games for Windows and Microsoft Game Studios. “As a natural evolution of the Interactive Entertainment Business, our consumer products and experiences focused on games, movies, TV and music will move into IEB, led by SVP Don Mattrick. In addition, we’ve formed a new centralized E&D services infrastructure team, which will act as a combined resource across the division,” a spokesperson said.
“Finally, Enrique Rodriguez has decided to move on from his leadership position running the TV, video and music business and is evaluating his next career opportunity. The TVM first party business, Zune and Windows Medica Center will move to IEB, and Mediaroom, the TV platform business, will become a standalone group within E&D, reporting directly to (E&D) President Robbie Bach.”
The move has led to speculation that Microsoft may also move Windows Mobile away from the Entertainment and Devices unit, and put it under President Steven Sinofsky, who heads up development and strategies for Windows, Internet Explorer and Windows Live. Such a move would signal a change in the way Microsoft views the market for software developed for mobile platforms.
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Result for: music business
Stephen Fry, the popular actor, author and current gadget blogger has spoken out about piracy this week, defending non-commercial piracy and berating the media watchdog groups, who he claims are going about it all wrong.
The lashing, made at the iTunes festival, started with Fry giving a history of music copyright.
Fry started by saying, according to the BBC, “that my business - the film business, the television business, the music business - is doing the wrong thing,” in regards to arresting and criminalizing file sharers.
He then mocked the “preposterous” MPAA ads that claim “You wouldn’t steal a car” by saying he can’t believe the industry would be “so blind… as to think that someone who bit-torrents an episode of 24 is the same as someone who steals somebody’s handbag (or car)”.
Fry himself admitted to downloading an episode of the popular series House, which stars his old friend Hugh Laurie and admitted as well to downloading a few episodes of 24.
The actor also acknowledged that commercial use of pirated material should lead to prosecution, as profiting off the thievery of others work is unjustifiable.
Finally, he added that he truly believed that if prices of digital downloads fell to “fair levels,” most people would pay for their music, and piracy would no longer be the “problem” it currently is.
