Apple sabotaging the Spotify in the U.S.?

Warns U.S. record industry against the Swedish streaming service, according to new information.

The Swedish streaming service Spotify has long worked to get into the U.S. market. However, it seems to be a difficult task to persuade the record companies in the United States that a free service is a good idea, and at least two times the planned launch dates have been postponed.
Now it has turned up a possible explanation, reports Macworld.se.

Anonymous sources told Cnet that Apple is trying to persuade the record companies not to enter into agreements with Spotify. According to the information Apple has managers held meetings with record company executives and made direct warnings about the consequences of allowing a free service that Spotify.
- Apple executives have expressed their concern to the record companies about a free music service could weaken an already poor sales of downloadable music. At least one director has lost his faith in an advertising funded model, writes Cnet.

In Europe, there has been much talk about how profitable business model is Spotify. In Norway, several record companies started to withdraw from the service. Spotify Norwegian competitor Wimp believes that a free solution can not survive in the long term, and has only chosen to focus on monthly subscription.iTunes streaming?
iTunes is the world's largest seller of digital music. It has long been rumors that Apple also plans to launch a streaming service, but so far it has been quiet on that front. Steve Jobs has previously spoken out negatively about the music streaming, as he believes customers would rather own the music they are listening to.
It is also speculated that Google will release a music service in the near future. Warns U.S. record industry against the Swedish streaming service, according to new information.