Music subscription service Rdio released updated iOS and Android apps Tuesday that come with a complete UI revamp, making the apps look much more like the service’s website. The app refresh also brings a few new features to iOS and Android devices, with the most notable being second-screen control: Rdio subscribers can now use their tablet or mobile phone to control the playback on other devices.
This kind of second-screen control is something that people have been experimenting a lot with in the video space, but it’s relatively novel to music services. I had a chance to play with the new iPad app over the last couple of days, and have to say that it actually works really well. I was able to browse music on the iPad and initiate playback on my computer, and there seemed to be no notable delay at all when I skipped to the next song.
Rdio’s new mobile apps also features a new slide-out sidebar navigation panel, which puts a bigger emphasis on offline synching, as well as a new persistent music player, infinite scrolling and some other tweaks here and there. Many of these features have already been available on Rdio’s website, which relaunched earlier this year.
The app refresh comes at a time when Rdio is trying to compete more aggressively with Spotify. The company recently launched a big advertising campaign in the U.S., and Rdio CEO Drew Larner told me in a recent interview that he wants to take that campaign to Europe, Australia and Brazil next year.
Check out a few screenshots of the app below:
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