Jay Z's streaming-music service Tidal will begin offering a desktop app for Mac and Windows users starting on Wednesday, Tidal confirmed to Mashable.
The desktop app is a beta version. Previously, Tidal subscribers could access the service via the web and a mobile app. Unlike rival Spotify, Tidal doesn't offer a free version.
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The launch of the desktop app comes just one week before Apple will reportedly announce a new streaming-music service at its World Wide Developers Conference.
Tidal's desktop app will offer access to 35 million songs and 75,000 videos, gapless play, as well as support for varying audio sources, such as Mac Airplay and DAC.
To attract more subscribers, particularly younger ones, Tidal will also begin giving 50%-off discounts to students with .edu email addresses starting next week. Both of its payment plans will now be slashed in half for students: the $9.99-per-month tier for standard-quality sound (comparable to the quality other streaming services deliver), HD videos and curated content; and the $19.99-per-month tier for high-definition audio (comparable to CD quality or "lossless high-fidelity sound"), HD videos and curated content.
The desktop app, web player and mobile app will also come with updated features, including a more prominent offline mode bar, concert tickets via Ticketmaster, updated search, more personalization options and a retooled menu for simplicity.
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Since Tidal's star-studded yet surprisingly uninformative unveiling in March, the "artist-owned" service and its celebrity leader Jay Z have faced a barrage of criticism from music lovers and fellow artists such as 50 Cent, Death Cab for Cutie and Lily Allen.
"When they say it's artist-owned, it’s owned by those rich, wealthy artists," Marcus Mumford, frontman of British rock group Mumford & Sons, said in April. "What I'm not into is the tribalistic aspect of it — people trying to corner bits of the market, and put their face on it. That’s just commercial bullshit ... I don’t want to align myself with Spotify, Beats, Tidal or whatever."
Tidal is being touted as an artist-owned service because it has 16 celebrity stakeholders: Alicia Keys, Arcade Fire, Beyoncé, Calvin Harris, Chris Martin, Deadmau5, Daft Punk, Jack White, Jason Aldean, J. Cole, Jay Z, Kanye West, Madonna, Nicki Minaj, Rihanna and Usher.
In April, Jay Z defended Tidal, which prides itself on sound quality and exclusive content, in a series of tweets, at one point saying, "The iTunes Store wasn't built in a day. It took Spotify nine years to be successful."
Tidal is doing just fine. We have over 770,000 subs. We have been in business less than one month. #TidalFacts— Mr. Carter (@S_C_) April 26, 2015
The iTunes Store wasn't built in a day. It took Spotify 9 years to be successful…— Mr. Carter (@S_C_) April 26, 2015
We are here for the long haul. Please give us a chance to grow & get better. #TidalFacts— Mr. Carter (@S_C_) April 26, 2015
There are many big companies that are spending millions on a smear campaign. We are not anti-anyone, we are pro-artist & fan. #TidalFacts— Mr. Carter (@S_C_) April 26, 2015
We made Tidal for fans. We have more than just music. We have video, exclusive concerts, tickets for events early, live sports!...— Mr. Carter (@S_C_) April 26, 2015
….Tidal is where artists can give their fans more without the middlemen. #TidalFacts— Mr. Carter (@S_C_) April 26, 2015
Indie artists who want to work directly w/ us keep 100% of their music. "If you don't want the CEOs all in the videos" haa #tidalfacts— Mr. Carter (@S_C_) April 26, 2015
BONUS: Why Tidal's $19.99 premium service isn't for everyone