Spotify partners with 3

Spotify has partnered with 3 Mobile in the UK to provide its customers with four handsets that contain the music streaming app pre-installed.

The deal will see the HTC Hero shipping before Christmas with a premium Spotify subscription that allows unlimited ad-free listening.

Given that the app is already freely available to download on multiple mobile platforms we imagine that the incentive to purchase a 'Spotify phone' will be a discount to the monthly fee. Whatever it ends up costing, it will be simply dealt with by adding it to your monthly phone bill.

We're not sure what the other 3 handsets due to get the Spotify treatment might be, but we heard rumours of INQ developing a Spotify phone for Telia in our report last week.

Beginning with the HTC Hero, the first handsets with Spotify pre-installed are due for release before the end of the year, pricing details have not been disclosed at this point, but we're thinking that the prospect will look relatively attractive compared to the somewhat struggling Nokia Comes with Music service.