Deezer (www.deezer.com) has launched an app for Windows 8. The French web-based music streaming service is available in over 180 countries and boasts over 3 million subscribers. Unfortunately, there are still no plans for a US launch, which the company surely has to achieve to compete against Spotify, Nokia Music and Xbox Music in the important market.
With 20 million songs listed in the catalogue, the service enables consumers to listen to an unlimited number of tracks for 12-months at no cost with an ad-supported service (restricted to just 2 hours per month after the 12 months is up). Should the user wish to upgrade to the premium plans, the adverts are disabled and more features are introduced. It's a great way to trial the service out before looking to upgrade - there's also a 15 day free trial for both of the subscription options.
Here's a brief breakdown of the account tiers:
- No account - restricted to 30 second clips
- Free account - unlimited music for 12-months, ad-supported
- Premium / €4.99 - unlimited music, no advertisements and higher sound quality
- Premium+ / €9.99 - all of the above with the addition of offline playback and mobile / tablet access
Facebook is not required to create an account and sign in, it's simply recommended by the service. Should you be a customer of either Orange or EE, you can add your mobile number to a Deezer account and enjoy numerous features with a discount offer should you choose to upgrade to premium. Not a bad deal.
Interested to see what the Deezer Windows 8 looks like? We thought you'd never ask:
The user interface is clutter-free and looks rather nice. Snapview in Windows 8 is supported, but there doesn't appear to be much else in terms of features, including a Live Tile (it's a tile, Jim, but not as we know it). We're sure to such functionality will be added in the future. Also, it's noted on the store listing that offline playback isn't currently supported in this version of the Windows 8 app.
You can download Deezer from the Windows Store, as well as the Windows Phone app (QR code below).
Rich Edmonds is a word conjurer at Windows Central, covering everything related to Windows, gaming, and hardware. He's been involved in technology for more than a decade and knows a thing or two about the magic inside a device chassis. You can follow him over on Twitter at @RichEdmonds.
