The Guardian reports one of the biggest music streaming providers is going to enter hardware-- Spotify is currently looking for employees to make "category defining" hardware products.
The job adverts state Spotify plans to create a hardware category "akin to Pebble Watch, Amazon Echo and Snap Spectacles." One position at the streaming provider posted back in April 2017 is for a senior product manager able to “define the product requirements for internet connected hardware [and] the software that powers it," while other, more recent, adverts have the company looking for an “operations manager,” “senior project manager: hardware production,” and “project manager: hardware production and engineering.”
The first of the three adverts states “Spotify is on its way [to] creating its first physical products and set-up an operational organisation for manufacturing, supply chain, sales and marketing.” Such text suggests production of the device might start sooner, not later.
But why Spotify want to get ino hardware? After all, a good number of third party devices are already compatible with Spotify Connect, including the Amazon Echo, Sonos speakers and even the PlayStation 4. In fact, the notable device lacking Spotify support is the Apple HomePod, which comes to exactly no surprise. As such, Spotify's taking on hardware will see it step on the toes of partners, and one wonders if it is even worth it for the company to take on the industry.
Go Is Spotify Getting Ready to Challenge Apple With its Own Speaker? (The Guardian)