There's some big news today for Pandora fans, as the popular music streaming service has announced that it plans to drop the 40-hour per month limit that it currently imposes on free mobile streaming. The limit will be lifted on Sept. 1, just 6 months after it was originally put in place in March 2013 in an attempt to manage rising royalty costs.
While Pandora says that the limit only affected four percent of its user base, the company has decided to scrap the limit thanks to the progress that it's made in mobile advertising. According to research firm eMarketer, Pandora is the third largest generator of mobile revenue, coming in behind Google and Facebook.
There are several options available to consumers interested in streaming music, including Pandora, Spotify, Rdio, and Google Play Music All Access. However, factors like free streaming, personalized stations and the ubiquity of its mobile apps help to keep Pandora as the go-to music player for many.
It's kind of interesting to see the company lift its 40-hour free streaming limit just 6 months after it was introduced, but apparently its advertising model is doing pretty well. Whatever the reasons behind the decision, I'm guessing that most folks will just be glad to hear that it won't be long before they're able to stream as much music as their earholes can stand. Do you use Pandora on your smartphone or tablet?
Via Pandora
