Samsung opens Milk Music to everyone via the Web

Until now, Milk Music has been available as an app only for Samsung's smartphones, tablets, TVs and smartwatches, but starting Monday it will be available to anyone with a browser.

Users will need to create an account on Samsung's Web site to access the service .

It's been one year since Samsung launched the Milk Music app for smartphones with a catalog of 13 million songs.

Like the app version, the web-based Milk Music will be powered by the well-established Slacker Internet radio service. Users will have access to 200 curated radio stations across different genres. Samsung did not provide precise lists of artists or albums associated with Milk Music.

Instead of the dial interface on the app, the Web version of the service has a radio-like tuning bar to switch between genres and songs.

Users can create custom stations, and also playlists of favorite songs and stations.

Besides going up against Apple's iTunes Radio, the Milk Music Web service will compete with streaming radio services from companies like its partner Slacker, Pandora and Spotify. Unlike services that offer paid subscription options for ad-free listening, Milk Music is ad supported and includes a US$3.99 per month premium option that allows skipping songs.

Agam Shah covers PCs, tablets, servers, chips and semiconductors for IDG News Service. Follow Agam on Twitter at @agamsh. Agam's e-mail address is agam_shah@idg.com