http://www.thinkstockphotos.com/image/stock-photo-sian-rural-man-with-headphones%C3%A6/94775241/popup?al=94809642,94808826,94808816,94794428,94794426,94783543,94783542,94783541,94783540,94783539,94783538,94783536,94783535,94783533,94783532,94783531,94783530,94783528,94783527,94783525,94783524,94783522,94783520,94783519,94783518,94783516,94783515,94783513,94783512,94783510,94783509,94783507,94783505,94783503,94783502,94783491,94783490,94783489,94783487,94783486,94783485,94783484,94783481,94783480,94783479,94783478,94783475,94783464,94783463,94783461,94783451,94779781,94779780,94775241,94775240,94775170,94697709,94684480,94511894,94511730&sq=india%20music/c=431,253,632,254,93,28,34,260,263,13,176,621,648,579,528,590,151,268,515,586,64,663,641,165,477,623,215,445,637,144,675,2,452,451,109,277,161,588,626,68,700,591,460,291,696,344,629,614,647/f=PIHVX/p=10/s=DynamicRank
Credit: Getty Images/Hemera
Indian music streaming service Dhingana has launched an ad-free paid subscription service for its iOS app as it steps up efforts to monetize its mobile content.
The subscription service, called Dhingana Gold, is being offered as an in-app purchase at $1.99 per month. Besides being ad-free, it also allows users to get premium features such as unlimited music downloads, offline access to songs and the ability to sync downloads across two devices. All new users will get a 15-day free trial for the service.
Dhingana’s move comes hot on the heels of it introducing video-roll advertising to its iOS app last month, which companies can use to run 10-30 second pre- or post-roll clips that are integrated into the app.
The company’s stepped-up focus on its mobile apps is not a surprise, considering that in India data suggests mobile Internet usage has already passed that of PCs. Its rival Saavn recently launched a ‘Pro’ version, while Times Internet-owned Gaana finally launched on mobile last month.
Dhingana CEO Rohit Bhatia had told TNW earlier this year about Dhingana’s three-pronged approach to monetization: its ad-based business, subscription-based services (which are particularly popular with the Indian diaspora) and domestic carrier billing.
Dhingana is one of a number of Spotify-like streaming services for Indian music (others include Gaana and Saavn). It offers more than 1 million songs across 42 languages and claims a monthly active user base of more than 15 million. The service is available for iOS, Blackberry, Android, Symbian Windows Phone and via a Web-based player.
Founded in 2007 by twin brothers Swapnil and Snehal Shinde, Dhingana raised an investment round of $7 million last year.
Headline image via Thinkstock
Get the TNW newsletter
Get the most important tech news in your inbox each week.
Also tagged with
