Fans of Spotify need no longer endure a blown up app designed for the smaller screen of the iPhone, thanks to the release of a dedicate iPad version of the app. Spotify 0.5.0 has been a long time coming and, as you would expect, there is support for the Retina display of the new iPad. There has been a shift in focus with this release, as the app now makes it easy to discover new music rather than simply enabling you to listen to things you have already found.

The interface has been given a gesture-friendly overhaul and the screen is divided into two sections that allow for easy navigation of playlists, friends and news, while providing a clear display of the information you are looking for. The newly released app is comparable to its desktop counterpart, providing access to almost the same set of features, although there is no support for the likes of last.fm and other apps at the moment; this is likely to be something that is added in the future.

Spotify for iPad

New features in this version include gapless playback – which is ideal if you are using Spotify to provide a party soundtrack – as well as crossfading for seamless transitions between tracks. There’s also AirPlay functionality so you can stream music to other devices. There are lots of nice touches throughout the app such as the way searching works. As you start to type the name of an artist or song, there is live updating with results shown from both your existing library and tracks you are yet to discover.

As you would expect, there are also a number of fixes to address problems that have been discovered, and this is by far the most impressive version of Spotify for iOS to date. As with previous versions of the software, it can only be used in conjunction with a Spotify Premium account and you have the option of signing up for a free 48 hour trial if you do not already have one.

You can find out more and download a free copy of the app by paying a visit to the Spotify 0.5.0 review page.