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Spotify is implementing new restrictions on its free plan users in India, with the aim of encouraging more users to upgrade to a premium subscription.
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These restrictions limit users' ability to play songs in their preferred order and prevent them from turning off the "Smart Shuffle" playlist option.
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Free plan users in India will no longer be able to use the traditional shuffle option without a Spotify Premium subscription.
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Another limitation involves "scrubbing" tracks, which means users can't go back to a specific part of a song once it has started playing.
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To play a song on repeat, a Premium subscription will be required, highlighting the value of upgrading.
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Users in India have been expressing their dissatisfaction with these changes on social media platforms like X (formerly known as Twitter) and Instagram.
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India is among Spotify's top five countries in terms of monthly active users, making it a significant market for the platform.
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Despite having a relatively high percentage of paying users in India, the country is not one of the most profitable regions for Spotify.
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In India, Spotify offers a variety of subscription plans, with prices starting at Rs. 119 for automatic renewing Premium plans.
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Users in India also have the option of prepaid plans, starting at Rs. 129, which may offer cost-effective alternatives to the free plan.
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The annual prepaid Premium subscription in India, priced at Rs. 1,189, offers substantial savings compared to the free plan, which would cost Rs. 1,428 annually.
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Additionally, Spotify provides smaller plans, like Spotify Premium Mini, starting at Rs. 7 per day, though this plan comes with limitations that apply to mobile apps.