Unlimited, apparently a thing of the past.

[fisque]

Today after the press conference the website got updated and Unlimited is now no longer an option for new users. You have Free and you have Premium as your choices for a subscription. I myself am currently a Spotify Unlimited user since I use Spotify on my computer exclusively.

First things first, what will happen to my current Unlimited subscription?

Secondly, out of curiosity I tried to log on to Spotify on my cell phone (Android) and try the new Shuffle feature available for Free users. What happened was that, even if I could log in, I couldn't actually play anything. The "Shuffle Play" button wasn't even present and when I tried to press Radio I was confronted with a message saying I need to upgrade to Premium to use that feature.

Shouldn't Unlimited users at least be able to use the mobile version in the same manner as Free users?

I'm confused...

[dearlaserworks]

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@Rorey wrote:

Indeed, you will not get advertisements if you have Unlimited and you're using a tablet.

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What about ads on iPhone for Unlimited users?

[romankovic]

@Rorey

Thank you for clarifing this.

Can you please confirm that, if I unsubscribe in two weeks from Unlimited, will I be able to subscribe again in January to Unlimited?

I'm quite worried to loose this opportunity.

[Peter__]

You should be able to subscribe to unlimited again in the future if it is currently available to you on your online account (on the information we know at the minute!). It appears the unlimited subscription is just not an option in the new markets launched yesterday. 

[domenicaccio]

I think the reasons for using Spotify Free in the future will be slim.

If you can't pick what songs to play, it will become more similar to a traditional radio station (FM or online streaming), with the added benefit that you can "lock" on one band/artist for as long as you want.

For some, this (and perhaps the great UI) will be enough reason to continue using Spotify Free, at least if they retain the option of skipping songs, but others will upgrade or leave to use other systems.

That said, Spotify Free has already changed its purpose a few times since its inception: from unlimited, to limited to 5 times per song, to limited to 10 hours per month, to shuffle only. Every change of these might seem small, but it totally changes the user experience i.e. *how* you use Spotify at all, and thus *why* using it. This is probably not going to be the last change we see yet.

[Peter__]

Its worth pointing out its shuffle only on mobile phones only, you can play on demand with free on tablets and desktop/laptops as always.

[domenicaccio]

Good clarification @Peter, this means "on-demand" tracks are still featured in Spotify Free, just not when using it from a mobile device.

[agroppi]

@Rorey

Thanks for your answer, but actually I really doubt of the interest to keep an Unlimited account (for an usage on an PC) versus a free one ?

😕

Could you please be more clear ?

Thanks again

Cheers from Bordeaux (France)

[Peter__]

Unlimited will remove the advertising on the PC and tablet, that is the only difference as far as I am aware.

[agroppi]

@Peter

Nice Table ...

But where is the Unlimited account ????

[Peter__]

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@agroppi wrote:

@Peter

Nice Table ...

But where is the Unlimited account ????

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The table was for new markets, which don't have unlimited as Rorey outlined 😉 

[Kakai]

In Portugal it's 3,5€ and 7€.

[agroppi]

@Peter @Rorey

Thanks again for your answers, but I find particularly harsh this Unlimited-Black-Hole ... being an Unlimited user since around 2 years ...
That's not a good policy towards the early adopters like I was ...

Very disappointed from Spotify 😞

Am I the only one ???

[Peter__]

Unlimited will continue to work as it always has, with advert free listening on the desktop and now tablet applications. Currently, unlimited lives on in existing markets, its just not available in the 20 new markets launched yesterday. 

If you already have an unlimited subscription, you have no need to worry, there are no changes to your subscription that I am aware off so far. From what I understand, although not visible on the main website, unlimited will be continued to be offered as an upgrade option from your online account if you are in a country where unlimited is available. 

[silbaco]

So it is going to be similar to what Rhapsody has done in the US with their $5 per month service. It's available if you want it, but it is not considered a primary tier of service and won't be actively advertised.

[agroppi]

@Peter

OK...but (correct me if I'm wrong ...) the point is that on mobile there is no difference between an Unlimited account and a Free one ...
THIS is disappointing...

[Peter__]

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@agroppi wrote:

@Peter

OK...but (correct me if I'm wrong ...) the point is that on mobile there is no difference between an Unlimited account and a Free one ...
THIS is disappointing...

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As far as I am aware, there should be no advertising with unlimited on mobile (although I have also seen some reports there is at the minute) but yes, if you want the full mobile experience you need Spotify premium.

[DaveinLA]

Well I am an existing subscriber, and I just switched from Premium to Unlimited. But am unsure of the limitations of Unlimited, since it is not described on the website.  Website is not too well designed, for example the US site lists prices with a pound sign, not a dollar.  Hard to believe. 

[pedrock]

So now I'm paying 5€ for just having no advertisings. That's all? I'm afraid that with this changes it's time to think in a downgrade...

[agroppi]

@pedrock

+1

same thinking here ...

[Roecker]

Does the free account have an unlimited time of streaming now? The reason I subscribed to unlimited was, that the 6 month period of unlimited streaming was over and the 20 hours provided from then on weren't enough...