Spotify at its special event unveiled an app system for its music software. The Spotify Platform uses apps based on HTML5 and JavaScript that can build on the core music player app. Among the examples include a Last.fm discovery and scrobbling app, a Rolling Stone app for reviews, and a TuneWiki app that syncs lyrics to the tracks.
Other contributions include SongKick for tracking and buying tickets for concerts from artists as well as apps from Billboard, Pitchfork, The Guardian, and other publications or services.
An App Finder, similar to an app store, lets users browse the selection of titles. Spotify is taking an Apple-like approach that requires approval, although the apps will be free for now.
Apps are currently limited to the desktop. Spotify is hoping to bring the app system to mobile or other non-computing devices. It’s not clear if Apple’s policies would clash with the new platform on iOS. Apple typically forbids internal app stores that don’t use iTunes, but having a completely free system based on web code may skirt the concerns.
The platform should be available now on Macs and Windows PCs.
