Black Eyed Peas member, will.i.am, is launching his own music streaming service that will only be compatible with his £22 per month smartwatch, ‘Dial’.
‘Dial’ is going to be released by will.i.am’s technology company, i.am+ and will work without being connected to a smartphone.
UK mobile network, Three, says the music streaming service will have more than 20 million tracks when it launches, with more being added. Both Apple music and Spotify have around 30 million.
It is currently unclear which songs will be available on the service so may not necessarily include the popular songs you want to hear.
The smartwatch is a Three exclusive which comes with ‘free’ access to 20 million songs and unlimited downloading on the go.
The thing that ruins the free element of the deal is the actual cost: two-year deals at Three are either £49 upfront and £22 per month or £19 on day one with a £25 per month cost.
The ‘Dial’ comes with a voice operated assistant called AneedA, which has the ability to learn your tastes and tailors its responses depending on how you speak to it. Other features include a 1.63-inch AMOLED display, 2MP selfie camera, 32GB of onboard storage, GPS, and WiFi connectivity.
Despite it being more than just a music streaming bracelet, its attempt to rival Spotify may be off the mark due to its massive expenses.
This isn’t the first time that will.i.am has been involved in tech. He previously released a version of his smartwatch called the ‘PULS’. The device was trialled in the UK by network O2 but it did not extend the partnership with i.am+ beyond a limited trial.
The reviews of the ‘PULS’ were not positive. Mashable called it “a wearable nightmare” that’s “uncomfortable, chunky and harsh on the eyes.” Tom’s Guide called it a “monstrosity,” and Gizmodo claimed that its review unit drew blood.
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