Spotify Plans to Launch Music Streaming Service in India, Japan: Report

Spotify may have plans to launch its music streaming service in India and Japan. According to a report, Spotify is looking into further expanding its presence in Asia. The company's decision comes less than a year after its rival Apple launched Apple Music, which is available in a number of Asian countries.

The world's most popular music streaming service, Spotify, could finally come to India and Japan, reports TechCrunch. The Swedish company in the meantime has confirmed that it will be debuting its service in Indonesia, the world's fourth most populous nation, later this month.

If Spotify launches in India, it will face stiff competition from local players such as Saavn and Gaana, as well as Apple Music. What could give Spotify an edge over Apple Music, especially in a market such as India, is the availability of a free tier. Apple Music requires users to have a subscription in order to access it.

But before Spotify launches in India, it is likely to launch its service in Japan, a place that still has plenty of users utilising CDs for playing songs. Furthermore, the report adds, Spotify has quietly begun hiring people in Japan for the role of head of consumer marketing, and head of communications.

Once an unrivaled name in the music streaming business, Spotify now faces stiff competition from Apple. Spotify earlier this month announced that it has 30 million paid subscribers. Apple Music is growing at a faster rate, having announced 11 million paid subscribers recently.