Now Samsung Has Its Own Spotify-Like Service Exclusively For Galaxy S III Phones

Steve Kovach
Business Insider

Music Hub will still act as your typical online music store, letting you purchase and download tracks just like you would from iTunes or Amazon. But now there's a Spotify-like option (powered by mSpot's technology) that lets you stream music and listen to online radio for $9.99 per month. (There's a 30-day free trial.)

As a result of Samsung's recent purchase of streaming music service mSpot, the company is launching a revamped version of its Music Hub app for the Galaxy S III today.

Music Hub will still act as your typical online music store, letting you purchase and download tracks just like you would from iTunes or Amazon. But now there's a Spotify-like option (powered by mSpot's technology) that lets you stream music and listen to online radio for $9.99 per month. (There's a 30-day free trial.)

Music Hub will also allow you to upload your music files to an online locker, similar to the one Google Music uses, and stream those tracks to your Galaxy S III. The app gets its music from 7digital, which provides the back end for several third-party music services.

Think of the new Music Hub as a cross between Spotify, Google Music, and iTunes Match.

Now for the drawbacks.

Music Hub is only available on the AT&T and US Cellular models of the Galaxy S III. If you have a Galaxy S III on Verizon, T-Mobile, or Sprint, you'll have to wait for Samsung to finish negotiating with those carriers first.
You also won't be able to get Music Hub on other Samsung devices like last year's Galaxy S II or the Galaxy line of Android tablets. Samsung says it's working to bring Music Hub to older devices, and future devices will likely come with the app installed.

So is Music Hub worth it? If you have a Galaxy S III on AT&T and plan to be a Samsung loyalist, then maybe. But apps like Spotify, Rhapsody, and Rdio still have the advantage in that they're available on many more platforms like iPhone, iPad, Windows Phone, and streaming TV boxes like Boxee.

July 31st, 2012
Business Insider