Microsoft's Ballmer dances with Spotify in Windows Mobile deal

Redmond boss descends into mosh pit

Microsoft has inked a deal with Spotify to provide a free app for the Windows Mobile platform.

Redmond announced the agreement, financial terms of which were kept secret, as the company’s boss Steve Ballmer kicked off the start of a five-day European tour in Sweden.

Microsoft said the app was available for punters using Windows Mobile 6.

More significantly for Ballmer and his crew, the Spotify application will soon come loaded with support for the Windows Mobile 7 platform that MS will launch on 11 October.

Spotify has already climbed into bed with iPhone, Symbian and Android – all of which carry apps from the popular music streaming service.

Although the app for Windows Mobile platform is free, users will need to cough up a monthly £9.99 premium subscription for Spotify in order to activate it on their smartphone.

The Spotify service is only currently available in Sweden, Norway, Finland, the Netherlands, France, Spain and the UK. There are plans to launch the service in the US before the end of the year. ®