Oslo-based browser company Opera and Spotify, the world’s largest audio streaming service, have partnered to make listening to music, podcasts and audiobooks even easier while users browse on their computers. As part of this partnership, Spotify becomes the default streaming service within the enhanced Music Player in Opera’s flagship browser, Opera One. Opera users will also have the opportunity to try Spotify Premium for free for a limited time, unlocking access no ads, the ability to download music for offline listening, with higher quality audio and much more.
“People love listening to music and podcasts while on the computer. Now, with Spotify in Opera One’s sidebar, everything is at your fingertips – you can shop, write, plan a trip, all without having to interrupt your favorite music and audio by directly accessing the browser’s floating multimedia player,” he says Joanna Czajka, Director of Product at Opera.
According to a survey carried out by Opera, 66% of respondents listen to music on their cell phones even when they are on their computers, with 89% explaining that this makes it easier to access music without having to switch between tabs and applications or access websites. When asked what integrating a music player into the desktop browser would provide, 66% responded that they would not be as distracted by these changes and could more easily control their music while performing other tasks. Together, Opera and Spotify are answering this need.
The new music player, with Spotify as the default streaming service, is located in the sidebar of the Opera One browser. When activated, it can be highlighted and moved around the screen without interrupting the user’s browsing flow. So, instead of constantly switching between what you’re doing and the song being played, the app floats in your browser window with Opera’s Music Player. The feature is also useful for users who frequently participate in meetings or calls: the audio playing in the browser is automatically smoothed, paused during the call and resumed afterwards.
In addition to Spotify being the default music player in the Opera One sidebar, users in select countries around the world will have the opportunity to take advantage of a few free months of Spotify Premium if they are not already subscribers*. The promotion, currently only available on Opera One, will expand to Opera for Android in early 2025.
