Right now most music streaming platforms are identical in the sense that at their core, they stream music, and for the most part save for some exclusive albums and songs, most major platforms will have similar content. So what sets one platform apart from the other? It seems that Spotify is trying to differentiate itself by going more social.
Its latest acquisitions certainly seems to point at that direction. According to a report from TechCrunch, Spotify has recently acquired two companies: Cord Project and Soundwave. Both companies seem to deal with messaging in their own way. For example Cord Project focuses on voice messaging, while Soundwave is a platform that lets users create profiles, chat, swap music, and view trending topics based on the streaming services they use.
Unfortunately for now it’s really anyone’s guess as to what Spotify plans on doing with either company, but we know for sure that voice messaging is not part of the plan. In a statement made to TechCrunch, Spotify clarified, “We are excited about the talent the Cord team brings to Spotify especially as it relates to design and audio experiences. This acquisition is not specifically about voice messaging and there are no plans to enter that space.”
Right now Spotify does have social features where you can add friends and see what they’re listening to, and send messages to each other, but presumably with these acquisitions, the company plans on taking things to the next level.