The service is also limited so that you still have a reason to pay for a Spotify subscription. “We’re the first and only service to obtain licensing rights to do this,” Ek said at a press conference earlier today. But for Spotify’s Founder and CEO, Daniel Ek, it’s a win.

This is because the major music recording companies aren’t ready to give you that much convenience. You can listen to playlists, but only on shuffle. If you want to listen on an iPhone or Android phone, things get more complicated. Here’s how it works: If you’re on an Android tablet or an iPad you can now get the full Spotify experience for free, with audio ads. There is a free radio option offered to US-based mobile users, but as its name suggests, you have little to no choice over which tracks are played.

Spotify has finally convinced record labels to let it become a free service on mobile devices, confirming a WSJ rumor. While Spotify fans can currently enjoy free music streaming on desktop and laptop computers, until now, mobile users could only access its catalog of around 20 million tracks by handing over $10 a month.

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