Amazon expands Echo multi-room audio feature w/ support for Spotify

Amazon announced today that it is expanding multi-room music playback with Echo devices with support for Spotify. The feature was originally announced back in August, but with limited support from music streaming services…

At launch, Amazon Echo’s multi-room audio feature only worked with Amazon Music, TuneIn, iHeartRadio, and Pandora. The company teased at the time that support for Spotify and SiriusXM was “coming soon.”

Multi-room audio support with Amazon Echo works similar to features offered by the likes of Sonos. You can simply use the Alexa app on iOS to create groups of speakers and then use voice commands to tell Alexa where to play your music. For instance, you can say “Play music downstairs” or “Play music everywhere” to start blasting holiday tunes throughout your house.

Here’s how Amazon describes the feature:

Simply use the Alexa App to create groups with two or more Echo devices by naming the group, such as “downstairs.” Once you’ve created the group, simply say “Alexa, play John Mayer downstairs.”

Meanwhile, The Wall Street Journal reports today that Spotify will soon receive approval from the Securities and Exchange Commission for its listing on the New York Stock Exchange. Spotify is seeking a direct listing, which would allow it to avoid a more expensive traditional initial public offering, or IPO:

In a direct listing, a company transfers its shares to an exchange without raising money as is done in a typical IPO. Companies have shied away from the unusual process in part because there is a greater risk that the shares could flop since there are no underwriters to set and prop up the price.

Among the draws: Direct listings enable companies to save on the hefty underwriting fees associated with traditional IPOs, and there aren’t restrictions on when insiders can sell shares.

As Christmas inches closer, there’s still time to get your hands on an Echo for that special someone. Amazon has its entire Echo line on sale with free two-day shipping in time for a Christmas Eve arrival. Head to Amazon’s site if you’ve still got some last-minute shopping to do.

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