Spotify Comes to the iPad

The wait is over. Spotify’s iPad app is now available for download at the iTunes store. It looks like it’s just for premium subscribers, but if you want a preview, there’s also a 30-day free trial.

Spotify’s chief product officer Gustav Söderström fielded questions about the app in a press conference this morning.

The Guardian’s Stuart Dredge did a nice write-up of the webcast and of the app’s functionality:

Söderström talked about how Spotify expects people to use the app, with sofas looming large in the company’s thoughts.

“One use case is you sit on your couch and discover new music,” he said. “We think a big part of this use case is you’re at home, maybe with a stereo with AirPlay, and this is to a large extent a remote control.”

I just got a mental picture of holding up a CD case, pointing it at the stereo, and making a clicking noise to turn on the music.  Apple’s AirPlay allows for wireless streaming on Apple TV and AirPlay-enabled speakers, and considering that the new iPad app comes with album covers, this might not be far off.

In the demo video above, Spotify promises the new app won’t be just a larger version of the iPhone app. Here’s what the reviewers had to say about it:

CNET: “While Spotify includes recommendations, most users will use the Search function to find the music they want. The app now uses autofill to predict what you’re typing.”

The Verge: “You can create and remove playlists, but you cannot rearrange or rename them like you can on Spotify for Mac or PC.”

The Guardian: “The app is certainly slick, and it makes good use of the iPad’s larger screen. I’m not sure I buy into Söderström’s vision of sofa-surfing music discovery just yet, though – Spotify’s revamped Radio feature is missing, as are the apps that have made its desktop application far more than just a search box.”

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