What's this, pick on Spotify day? Sony Music Unlimited goes offline on iOS

What's this, pick on Spotify day? Sony Music Unlimited going offline on iOS
Spotify's competitors are stepping up their respective games

Spotify was seemingly under siege from tech's big guns today, following Sony's decision to retool its iOS app to battle the music streaming leader.

On the same day Microsoft confirmed it would be rolling out Xbox Music on the web to take on Spotify's own browser-based service, Sony announced it intended to match Spotify on iOS devices.

The Music Unlimited app, like its Android equivalent, will soon give subscribers access to offline playlists for the first time.

That particular feature has been one of Spotify's most enduring features, allowing subscribers to store up to 3,333 songs for playback when they're away for an internet connection or are on a limited data plan.

HQ Audio coming too

Version 1.3 of the app, which will go live "very soon" according to the official Sony Entertainment Network blog, also brings 320Kbps streams, which matches Spotify's highest playback quality.

Sony said the app has been submitted to Apple and is waiting for approval. You can check out the new features in the video below.

Chris Smith

A technology journalist, writer and videographer of many magazines and websites including T3, Gadget Magazine and TechRadar.com. He specializes in applications for smartphones, tablets and handheld devices, with bylines also at The Guardian, WIRED, Trusted Reviews and Wareable. Chris is also the podcast host for The Liverpool Way. As well as tech and football, Chris is a pop-punk fan and enjoys the art of wrasslin'.