Spotify is coming to United Airlines seatbacks — with help from Starlink
The Verge · Andrew J. Hawkins ·
United Airlines launches a native seatback Spotify app powered by Starlink Wi-Fi, letting passengers stream personal playlists and video podcasts in flight.
United has built a custom, native Spotify app for seatback displays, allowing passengers to log directly in to their personal accounts and stream their own libraries, playlists, and video podcasts while flying 35,000 feet in the air. The new integration is being powered by Starlink’s satellite Wi-Fi, which is currently being installed throughout United’s entire fleet.
The news marks a major shift in legacy in-flight entertainment. Gone are the days of stethoscope-style plastic tubes, armrest dials, and canned playlists. These older airplane systems were built on the assumption that flights had no internet, so all movies and music had to be stored directly on the plane. Now, with the inclusion of Starlink’s Wi-Fi, passengers can stream content live from the internet, just like they do at home.
United announced a partnership with Spotify a little over a year ago to explore how to preload some music content on seatback displays. But the airline decided that a more personalized experience, in which customers can activate their own accounts and stream their own music, was the logical next step, said Mark Muren, managing director for product marketing at United, in an interview.
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