Samsung‘s US based streaming service Milk Music is shutting down. Despite denials earlier this year, the closing is no surprise to observers who saw low adoption and a decided lack of attention from Samsung. But the closure still signals that more consolidation in the streaming sector seems likely.
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Samsung is shutting down its Pandora-like Milk Music service in on September 22nd.
“We have made the strategic decision to invest in a partner model focused on seamlessly integrating the best music services available today into our family of Galaxy devices,” Samsung announced on Friday. “We believe that working with partners will accelerate innovation, enhance device sales and provide amazing new experiences for our customers.”
Samsung Milk Music launched in 2014, but was never available outside of the U.S.
Use of the words “invest” and “partner” in Samsung’s Milk farewell could send the rumor mill into overdrive. Earlier this year, Samsung was rumored to be interested in Jay Z’s Tidal. Despite previous deals with Jay Z, Samsung denied the interest; and it is just as likely that the smartphone manufacturer is pursuing multiple partnerships.
With shipments of more than 100 million smartphones annually and a 20-25% market share, Samsung would be a powerful partner for any music streamer.