Shazam offers paid app, downscales free version

VentureBeat reports that Shazam [iTunes Link], an app that's long been a favorite among several TUAW staffers, is now offering a paid version. The $5 Shazam Encore (link opens iTunes) offers faster, unlimited tagging of music. A new mode designed for your car will tag whatever music is playing over the radio if you have your iPhone or iPod Touch hooked up to a car adapter. There are also recommendations based off existing tags, the ability to search Shazam's database, and more.

This new feature set does come at a cost to new users of the Shazam free app. New users can now only tag five pieces of music per month. The VentureBeat article adds that existing users of the free app can still tag with no limits.

[Via Macworld]

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Source: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/shazam/id284993459?mt=8

Source: http://app-news/

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VentureBeat reports that Shazam [iTunes Link], an app that's long been a favorite among several TUAW staffers, is now offering a paid...

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wizzard

Updated on my iPhone and have unlimited tagging (for now). Don't know if it will work if you update through iTunes on your desktop.

November 12 2009 at 9:07 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Nikax

I still have Shazam 1.7, and it flat out stopped tagging for me a few weeks ago. Looking in the App Store comments on 1.8, it seems to freeze/crash a lot.

I don't mind paying for software at all, and, I assumed that Shazam was paying for itself through ads and through selling music. So what is the $5 for?

November 11 2009 at 9:41 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

iGO

OK. Here are my facts.
I've had the free Shazam since the very day it was released and well pre my iPhone 3GS.

I just updated to the latest Free version, v1.8.0, the one that is OS 3.0 tested.
I just tagged over 20 entries, without failure or restrictions or limits. I even shut down the app and restarted. It kept tagging.

It continues to have ads. And it does offers me to upgrade to the Encore version.

The bottom line. If you owned it previously as free, my tests show it continues to work as it always has, WITHOUT limitations.

November 10 2009 at 7:46 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Nick

That's a dick move. My iPhone is jailbroken and I pay for my apps, but I'm getting Installous just for this.

November 10 2009 at 2:15 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

wizzard

Can anyone confirm if existing users get to keep unlimited tagging?

Holding off on updating for now.

November 10 2009 at 1:33 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

2 replies to wizzard's comment

mark

It's already confirmed -- both on the app's iTunes store page and at shazam.com:

http://www.shazam.com/music/html/iphone/faq.html#aa

November 10 2009 at 9:29 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Francisco

One comment above, by Blackdiamond (comment #25) says that it did impose the restrictions once he updated.
Not so sure if it's the right thing to do right now, probably they'll issue a fix, like an update to 2.0 to existing users... it's nice to want things.

November 10 2009 at 9:35 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Mike Napier

Wait, according to the App store description "As an existing user when you update to Shazam 1.8 you will keep unlimited tagging."

November 10 2009 at 12:23 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

q00p

Yes, BOTH are actually displaying ads. Brilliant! Ads in a paid app...

November 10 2009 at 9:56 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Anchang

http://www.shazam.com/music/web/contactus.html

Contact them and tell them about the ads, I've already said.

November 10 2009 at 5:10 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Maxxodd

Just switched to Midomi. Shazam was OK since it was free, but I have to say that Midomi is considerably better as far as speed and user interface.