Streaming service Deezer just announced a key update with the launch of its new automotive app – which I think sounds like a cool free upgrade for many drivers who also subscribe to the music service's Premium offering.
As someone who has just taken delivery of a new Polestar 2 – which I think is one of the best EVs, certainly the best saloon at its price point – this upgrade is a direct benefit, as Deezer's updated app will be available in cars with Google built-in (hi Polestar!) and various other manufacturers, such as BMW and Mercedes, who use the Faurecia Aptoide app store in their vehicles.
So what does this upgrade bring? Deezer will now incorporate user playlists, alongside the company's Flow proposition – a personalised infinite mix, as it's described on Deezer's official site. That means you can jump into "automatic music mixes, by mood or genre" depending on how you're feeling on any given day.
Having driven for three hours through traffic jams on the M25 yesterday morning at 6am, I know all too well how a headbanging rage music mix would have been the perfect remedy (that and a cup of tea, which sorely lacked after hour one). And if this system's AI is as smart as it sounds then it'll know me only too well. If not then there's voice control to bark out what you'd like to hear from the 120-million-strong catalogue.
It's not the only of many recent Deezer changes either: back in May the music service introduced a quiz feature for music buffs, that I think sounds like a lot of fun. Great to see interactivity and entertainment become a greater part of the offering.
It's a competitive world out there, of course, with Spotify still being a very strong competitor for people – whether at home or in-car, where it's also integrated into many systems – so Deezer needs to continue with the upgrades to ensure it can provide a competitive edge.
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Mike is T3's Tech Editor. He's been writing about consumer technology for 15 years and his beat covers phones – of which he's seen hundreds of handsets over the years – laptops, gaming, TV & audio, and more. There's little consumer tech he's not had a hand at trying, and with extensive commissioning and editing experience, he knows the industry inside out. As the former Reviews Editor at Pocket-lint for 10 years where he furthered his knowledge and expertise, whilst writing about literally thousands of products, he's also provided work for publications such as Wired, The Guardian, Metro, and more.