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Sonos has announced a partnership with Spotify, which will bring the popular music streaming service to all of its devices.

Sonos has acquired a reputation for quality with its streaming solutions, and it is hoping that the arrival of Spotify to its service will provide a major boost when it arrives at the end of September.

SonosZone kit owners will be able to download the free app for iPhone and iPad that will allow them to control their devices and stream Spotify (but only with a Spotify Premium account), or most other music sources, around their house.

Most requested

"Spotify compatibility was the most requested feature we have ever had," UK regional director Mike Edwards told TechRadar.

The move is a first for Spotify – whose mobile and PC offerings have proven hugely popular in the UK market and across Europe.

"It's great that people will be able to listen to Spotify whenever they want, wherever they want in their home," said Daniel Ek, Founder and CEO Spotify.

"We're excited to partner with Sonos to deliver the unique Spotify experience in the home, with the same quality and ease of use that our users already love."

Away from PC

"This is the first time that Spotify has moved away from the PC," added Sonos' PR Manager for Europe Fiede Schillmoeller.

The Sonos app for iPad and iPhone was teased earlier in the summer, but the company chose to delay launch – primarily to make sure that the app was as good as it could possibly be, but also partly due to the Spotify agreement.

The app will be free from iTunes and compatible with all Sonos kit, with Schillmoeller believing that the iPad is a "Great social controller" and the iPhone a great personal remote control.

"Our mission at Sonos is to play all the music on the planet, all over the house, concluded John MacFarlane, Founder and CEO Sonos, Inc.

"By partnering with a leading music streaming service like Spotify, we can now offer more of our customers the ultimate jukebox experience at home."

Pure's new radio service, 'FlowSongs' launches in beta this week, promising to let music fans buy tunes that they like directly from their radio.

It's an innovative concept, for sure, and one that we've been talking to Pure's marketing and product development guys about behind the scenes for some time.

The option to hit a 'buy' button on your digital or internet radio and have the tune immediately emailed to you sounds great. In theory.

But can FlowSongs, Pure's great white cloud-based music hope take on the likes of Spotify and iTunes? Or is it just digital pie in the sky?

FlowSongs beta in UK

Pure's FlowSongs service in a public beta in the UK on Monday 16 August, allowing users with a Sensia or Pure Flow compatible connected radio to test out the new music-buying tech.

Pure is pitching FlowSongs as, "a ground-breaking, cloud-based music service that allows the user to identify (tag) tracks playing on any radio station and buy them directly from any Pure radio with Flow technology built-in.

Pure Sensia: Will radio listeners want to buy tunes from their device?

"FlowSongs is currently exclusive to UK customers as a public beta with an international roll out taking place later in the year."

After launch on Monday 16 August, a free 90-day trial will be made available

Colin Crawford, Pure's director of marketing says FlowSongs is the "start of an exciting journey for Pure and our customers," and a, "unique and easy-to-use cloud-based music service that delivers a bridge between radio, which is the most popular way of discovering new music, and the ability to own that music."

Will Page, chief economist at PRS for Music, adds: "FlowSongs sows all the same seeds of success that YouTube offered back in the summer of 2006 by giving the fan instant gratification – you hear it, like it and now you can buy it."

Will you buy music?

In terms of what file format you can buy the tunes you like on the radio, Pure is slightly unclear in its press release, telling use that songs "can also be downloaded in a high-quality MP3 format to a PC or Mac and added to the user's MP3 collection."

Whether or not you will have the option of buying a lossless FLAC or hi-res Wav file of the tune of your choice has yet to be confirmed. If so, then the service may well appeal more to the audiophile music consumer.

If not, then it is hard to see how FlowSongs, with tracks priced between 79p and £1.29 depending on the publisher, and delivered by 7digital, can possibly start to compete with leading streaming services such as Spotify or the bigger download stores such as iTunes and the Amazon MP3 Store.

Subscription-based pay-for-music service

We put exactly that question to Pure's Marketing Director Colin Crawford, who told TechRadar:

"FlowSongs hasn't been launched to compete with the likes of Spotify or iTunes.

"We see FlowSongs as complementary to these services and adding value for users of our internet-connected digital radios. We don't even mind if people use the service to tag the song then download it from another provider.

"For us it's about giving consumers a simple and intuitive way to discover and purchase songs from the radio, which is the most popular way of discovering new music, and we see that as a positive step for both the music industry and the radio industry."

After the free 90 day trial, Pure also plans to charge an annual subscription fee of £2.99 a month for FlowSongs "enabling them to identify an unlimited number of tracks as well as purchase tracks (as long as the user's Lounge Account is topped up with credit) for a further twelve months."

Pure hopes that its consumer base – or at least those that currently tune in to radio via a Sensia, Evoke Flow, Avanti Flow, Oasis Flow and Siesta Flow - will pick up on the idea and give the service a go when the free beta launches later this month.

You can check out pure.com for more on FlowSongs

UK Culture Minister Ed Vaizey is set to make a speech this week backing the digital radio industry's aims to turn AM and FM radio signals off and transition to digital radio.

Vaizey is set to declare the government's support for Britain's digital radio industry, and to reiterate that 2015 – the date suggested by the previous government for the analogue radio signal to be switched off – will remain a target.

Tentative move

However, this is still very much a tentative move on behalf of the government. Vaizey is also set to stress that new technology cannot be imposed "on an unwilling public, no matter how persuasive the business case.

"Listeners need to be persuaded that the content on offer is compelling, that the quality is high and that digital radios, at home or in the car, are affordable and have listening quality that is at least as good as FM."

Vaizey sees digital radio as "a huge opportunity" and wants to back the industry's plans to push towards an analogue-to-digital switchover. However the government will not be drawn on making a firm decision on the matter until at least half of British radio listeners have moved to using digital radios.

Industry body Rajar shows that, in March 2010, 24 per cent of all radio listening was digital (up slightly from 20 per cent in 2009), compared with 66 per cent on AM or FM radio. So there is still some way to go for digital radio to hit that 50 per cent 'trigger' point.

British success stories

Mr Vaizey will praise British industry in his speech, noting: "At a time when we are looking for manufacturing success stories, British companies like Pure, Roberts and Bush are world leaders. And the technology offers radio lovers the same explosion of choice that TV viewers have embraced so wholeheartedly."

Ford Ennals, Chief Executive of industry lobbying grounp Digital Radio UK, welcomes the latest moves by the government and the publication of the Joint Industry and Government Action Plan, saying: "It gives us the certainty we need that radio has a digital future. The focus on consumers, coverage and cars is vital."

The BBC's Director of Audio and Music, Tim Davie, BBC, says of the plans: "We welcome the Government's commitment to radio's digital future and the importance they have placed on the listener in any future switchover. The BBC will, along with Digital Radio UK, work closely with Government and the rest of the radio sector to deliver the Action Plan."

Culture minister Ed Vaizey has announced that plans for the UK's digital radio switchover will be unveiled this week.

Speaking in London at a progress report for the digital switchover, Vaisey was questioned over whether there will be more news on what is happening with digital radio and he noted that there will be details released "this Thursday".

Broadband trials

The digital radio switchover is something which is set to be completed by 2015, but it will be an uphill battle to convert those who still use analogue – which includes the majority of all cars in the country.

Just this week, the importance of digital radio in the UK was highlighted with the news that digital-only station 6Music was saved from being axed by the BBC Trust.

In the switchover update, Vaizey also announced that the government has so far underspent the money put aside for the switchover and he is hoping that £55 million of the £200 million pot will be used to boost the country's broadband infrastructure and supplement a trial of superfast broadband in the country.

He could not guarantee that all the money would be spent on this – or who the superfast trial would be with – but it's good news that the government has finally come under budget for something.

The rumours that the BBC is set to close alternative music station 6 Music and the Asian Network, which TechRadar reported on earlier today, have sent shockwaves through the radio industry and among listeners.

Two of the major DAB Radio manufacturers, Pure and Roberts, have been quick to comment on the rumours, with Leslie Burrage, Chief Executive at Roberts telling TechRadar:

"It's obviously disappointing to hear that BBC 6 Music is not a sustainable business in its own right. However, the ceasing of this station highlights how the running of a station on the DAB multiplex is expensive and, therefore, it should be heeded that switching most stations from FM to DAB is not as simple as some may perceive.

"In these recessionary times, while regrettable, it is inevitable that some stations will be unable to remain profitable, particularly in the commercial radio sector and as also demonstrated in the BBC."

Passion for digital radio

Meanwhile, over at Pure, Marketing Director Colin Crawford remains confident about the longer term future of digital radio in the UK, telling TechRadar:

"The reaction to the Times article shows the real passion that exists in the UK for digital radio. Over the past few months, a number of new stations have launched on the national digital radio network and there are now over 10 stations on the national commercial multiplex, including really great stations such as NME Radio and Planet Rock.

"We are more confident than ever about the robust health of the future of digital radio in the UK."

Robert Shepherd, a spokesperson for the government sponsored group Digital Radio UK, added that they were, "aware that the BBC are conducting a Strategy Review," and that they were awaiting the outcome, "but the BBC have confirmed that they have a continued commitment to the development of digital radio and to investing in high quality digital only content."

But the increasingly vocal campaign online, on Twitter and on music and radio industry blogs to save 6 Music only wants to know one thing – that this 'continued commitment' to 'high quality digital only content' means that the 620,000 regular 6 Music listeners in the UK won't lose the station they treasure at some point in the near future.

How to find new music

Dave Haynes, head of business development at digital music specialists SoundCloud told TechRadar that, "6Music plays an important role in championing music that often doesn't find an outlet elsewhere. We know this firsthand since Tom Robinson uses SoundCloud to find new music for his Introducing show.

"It's important that these opportunities exist for up-and-coming musicians to get their music heard on a BBC radio station, and for that avenue to be shut down would be a tragedy for musicians and music fans alike."

Stay tuned for further updates as we get them on the news of the BBC's plans to make cuts to its digital radio and online divisions.

While there are a number of internet radio apps already available for the iPhone, the new Spark Radio iPhone app that launches this week is by far the king of the crop to date.

You can get Spark Radio for £3.49 over at the iPhone App Store, and the app is basically a collection of around 10,000 internet radio stations from across the world.

The developers promise that this will grow to around 30,000 stations by April.

Web-browser within

All the stations can be accessed via the web from anywhere via your iPhone on either a Wi-Fi or 3G connection (or via your iPod Touch, but only Wi-Fi).

The app is the work of two iPhone developers - Handcast and RadioTime, a company that provides radio content and tools.

You can search for your stations via genres and various other categories and Spark Radio also has a handy GPS feature which simply displays the stations near you.

Save stations as favourites and, should you wish to surf the net while listening in, there is even a web-browser within the app, something that the celebrated Spotify iPhone app was sorely missing.

Seems they have thought of almost everything.,

A new integrated FM and digital radio station guide is set to be integrated into new digital radios, according to proposals put to the House of Lords this week.

The House of Lords Select Committee is meeting to discuss the various issues surrounding the TV and radio digital switchover.

The latest proposals for a guide that covers all FM and digital stations – both commercial stations and BBC local and national stations – will enable older listeners to easily switch between their familiar FM stations and the (at first confusing) morass of new-fangled digital stations.

In-car digital radio

Radio manufacturers such as Pure, Sony and Roberts will work with the industry in order to design and develop the new electronic programme guide (EPG).

The radio industry is also looking to develop in-car digital radios with a number of major car manufacturers, which would also use the new EPG.

Ford Ennals, chief executive of Digital Radio UK, is set to propose the new EPG plan to the House of Lords Select Committee this week.

The current proposed target date for radio's digital switchover is 2015, at which time FM will still be used, but only for community and a limited number of local radio stations.

Sion Simon, the Minister for the Creative Industries, said in the House of Commons this month: "The current generation of DAB sets has tended to make that move [to a new platform] a rather sharp distinction, which has led to the fear that FM will end up being a second-class ghetto tier.

"To avoid that, we are committed to ensuring the implementation of a combined station guide, which is similar to an electronic programme guide, that will allow listeners to access all stations by name, irrespective of the platform."

Audiophiles will be thrilled to hear that Ford is introducing high definition radios with features such as iTunes 'tagging' (the ability to virtually buy tunes on the go) in 2010.

The news follows Ford's announcements earlier this month about its plans to extend Wi-Fi access to its new car customers.

Ford is now set to be the first car manufacturer to offer factory-installed HD Radios with iTunes tagging via its new in-car Sync entertainment systems.

New in-car tech at CES 2010

"iTunes Tagging and HD Radio technology are strong new additions to the growing collection of Ford convenience features and technology we're offering customers to make driving even more enjoyable," said Mark Fields, president of The Americas.

We expect to hear more tech specs, pricing details and release plans from Ford at CES next month.

"Ford continues to lead the market in bringing advanced capabilities to popular vehicles. We are very pleased that HD Radio technology is an integral part of Ford's broad offering of new features," said Jeff Jury, COO of iBiquity Digital Corporation, the developer of HD Radio technology.

For more on HD Radio tech head over to www.ibiquity.com

The Digital Radio Development Bureau has reacted furiously to a statement by UTV – the owner of TalkSport – that Digital Radio is in decline.

Following the announcement that digital radio sales had topped 10 million, UTV's Scott Taunton suggested that sales growth was 'in reverse' something that has immediately sparked a war of words with the always-vociferous DRDB.

"Managing Director Scott Taunton says sales growth is in reverse, pointing out that in 2008 2.2 million DAB sets were sold (in fact it was 2.1 million), but in 2009 to date, only 1.3 million sets have been sold," said the DRDB.

No Christmas

"Scott seems to have taken a full year's sales in 2008, including the big Christmas period, and compared it with 10 months in 2009.

"If you compare like for like, i.e. 10 months sales in 2008 versus the same 10 months in 2009, you get almost the same figures. To whit: Sales to end October 2009 are 1.36 million. Sales to end October 2008 1.37 million."

It's an argument unlikely to be resolved quickly – with digital radio still battling for the recognition it feels it deserves.

The DRDB (Digital Radio Development Bureau) is reporting that sales of digital radios have hit the 10 million mark, with 5 million of those devices sold after 2007.

Digital radio manufacturers seem to be laughing in the face of the recession at the moment, with sales of the devices outperforming the rest of the consumer electronic market both in 2008 and 2009.

The industry has seen a 12 per cent increase in home audio systems being sold and a whopping 60 per cent increase in digital radios for the car. The market is now said to be worth around £170 million a year in the UK.

Delivering firsts

One manufacturer who seems to be reaping the benefits of the digital audio upturn is Pure, who has announced that it has sold three million units worldwide.

Being that it's a British company this is great news for the UK, with Paul Smith, General Manager at Pure explaining: "Pure has consistently delivered firsts in the digital radio market. We were the first manufacturer to sell half a million digital radios, then one million, and now we're the first to sell three million.

"We'd like to take this opportunity to thank the thousands of retail stores that stock Pure radios and, of course, all Pure radio owners. Pure's drive in the growing digital radio market continues with an ongoing strong roadmap for 2010 and beyond."

Digital disappointment

Not everybody is happy with Scott Taunton, UTV Media (GB), Managing Director, pointing out that despite the 10 million sales mark reach, DAB digital radio sales are in decline, with a mere 1.3 million sets sold this year, compared to 2.2 million sold last year.

"Today's disappointing DAB sales announcement is a resounding 'no' vote for the government's proposal to switch off analogue signals in 2015," explained Taunton.

"While cumulative sales of 10m digital sets prove that DAB is here to stay, there are 120 million analogue radios currently in circulation in the UK. At this rate of sales, it would take up to 60 years to convert them all to digital."