Facebook is looking to get into the music streaming business, and it is reportedly in talks with Spotify about a possible partnership.
According to a report by CNBC, Facebook is working on a music streaming service codenamed “Project Boombox” that would be integrated into the social network. The service would reportedly allow users to stream music from Spotify and other music streaming services directly within Facebook.
This is not the first time that Facebook has been rumored to be working on a music streaming service. The social network has been reportedly working on such a service for years, but it has yet to launch anything.
Spotify is the world’s largest music streaming service, with over 70 million paid subscribers. Facebook has over 2 billion monthly active users, so a partnership between the two companies could be a major win for Spotify.
It is not clear if Facebook and Spotify are close to a deal, or if one will even be reached. But if Facebook does launch a music streaming service, it could be a big threat to existing services like Spotify, Apple Music, and Amazon Music.
Facebook is deepening its relationship with music company Spotify by allowing users to listen to music hosted on Spotify while browsing through Facebook apps as part of a new initiative called “Project Boombox.”
Facebook is deepening its relationship with music company Spotify by allowing users to listen to music hosted on Spotify while browsing through Facebook apps as part of a new initiative called “Project Boombox.”
Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg revealed the new feature during a wide-ranging interview with reporter Casey Newton on the company’s future pursuits in the audio world.
Zuckerberg highlighted the new Spotify integration as another product designed to improve the experience of creators on its platforms, specifically the ability of musicians to share their work.
“Basically making audio the first-class type of media,” he said.
We understand from sources familiar with the Spotify integration that this player will support both music and podcasts. It has already been tested in non-U.S. markets, including Mexico and Thailand, and it’s expected to arrive in about a week.
Mark Zuckerberg’s latest project is a Spotify-powered boombox that he unveiled at Facebook’s F8 conference. The device, which is called the Aloha, is a portable speaker that can be connected to Spotify so you can play your music anywhere.
The Aloha is still in the prototype stage, but Zuckerberg says that it will be available to purchase later this year. It’s unclear how much the device will cost, but it will likely be in the hundreds of dollars range.
Aloha is just one of many new products that Zuckerberg and Facebook are working on. The company is also developing a new virtual reality headset, a home assistant, and a drone. But Aloha is the only one of these products that is focused on music.
It’s not surprising that Zuckerberg is interested in music. He’s a big fan of rap music and he even created a music-sharing app called DJZ. But Aloha is different from anything else that Zuckerberg has worked on. It’s a physical product that you can hold in your hand and take with you wherever you go.
The Aloha is an interesting idea, but it’s unclear if it
