Ek says Spotify won't launch in US this year

MAYBE NEXT YEAR: Spotify has formally given up plans for a U.S. launch before the end of the year, CEO Daniel Ek told All Thngs D. “It’s a business problem and a product problem at the same time,” he said of the complexities of the negotiations, but one that he expects to solve. “We are definitely going to do the U.S., you’ll see,” he promised, though “I can’t commit to a specific date.” The Swedish entrepreneur claimed that Spotify now has about 750k paying customers in Europe. And while his company isn’t presently trying to raise money to put on the table as an enticement to make a deal, “we won’t rule it out,” Ek said. (12/9a)