Brad Wasson
02-08-2011, 05:00 AM
<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.wired.co.uk/news/archive/2011-02/07/lastfm-mobile-streaming' target='_blank'>http://www.wired.co.uk/news/archive...obile-streaming</a><br /><br /></div><p><em>"Personalised radio service Last.fm is trying to stuff the proverbial genie back into the bottle, by charging for mobile access that was previously free."</em></p><p><img src="http://images.thoughtsmedia.com/resizer/thumbs/size/600/wpt/auto/1297132887.usr110171.jpg" style="border: 1px solid #d2d2bb;" /></p><p>Wired in the UK has a posting today about a change in the business model for Last.fm. In short, the radio service built into Last.fm mobile apps and on home entertainment devices will become an ad-free, subscriber-only feature. Wired reports that the changes vary from platform to platform.</p><p><em>"The website streaming option will remain free in the UK, US and Germany, as will streaming through the desktop application, but all other uses -- including the likes of Sonos and Squeezebox -- will require a premium account, with just two exceptions. US and UK users of Xbox Live and Windows Mobile 7 phone will remain free. See the Q&A below for some more details on that."</em></p><p>It is certainly a tricky marketing maneuver to placate users that will have to move from a previously free model to a paid one, and Wired's interview with Matthew Hawn sheds some light on the reasoning behind the move. Interestingly, Windows Phone 7 users benefit from a Microsoft subsidy. So, if you are a current user that faces a new fee, you will have a decision to make. Is it worth paying money for?</p>