While Spotify has added plenty of features to its streaming service over the years, they have all been in software. That will soon change, as new job listings spotted by MusicAlly show that the company is preparing to launch its first hardware product.
“Spotify is on its way to creating its first physical products and [to] setting up an operational organization for manufacturing, supply chain, sales & marketing,” the listing for an operations manager for hardware product reads. “Above all, your work will impact the way the world experiences music.”
Another job listing indicates that Spotify intends for its first foray into hardware to be “category defining,” but so far there are no details on what exactly this product would be. We’ve seen other companies do stand-alone Spotify players, as well as headphones that integrate the streaming service without the need for a mobile device, but it doesn’t seem likely that the company is looking in this direction as those product haven’t historically been huge sellers. Instead, one of the most likely options is that Spotify is looking at launching its own take on what is currently a very hot product: smart speakers.
Spotify is available on most current smart speakers, with the notable exception of Apple’s HomePod, but a Spotify-centric speaker certainly might help the service gain a few new customers as well as keep the ones it has. Spotify is currently the most popular streaming service, but Apple Music is growing rapidly, so there is a good reason why the company might want to diversify its business while driving customers to its core product. The company wouldn’t even have to create its own take on an A.I. assistant, as it could use Amazon’s Alexa, Google Assistant, or even offer both like the Sonos One.
Job listings aren’t often in the business of spoiling company secrets, so there are no details on when this mystery product may launch, but the Guardian points out that the fact that the company is looking for someone to manage the new products supply change means it is likely looking to begin manufacturing soon.
For its part, Spotify is keeping quiet, but if it keeps on track, we’ll likely hear more about this product this year.
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