Spotify's FCC registration hints that hardware is on the way

Spotify just made it clear that its hardware plans are more than a passing fancy. The streaming music mainstay has registered with the FCC, giving it a grantee code (2AP3D if you're curious) and signalling its intent to test wireless devices. There are no filings at this stage (those usually appear closer to a product's release), but there have already been hints of a smart speaker and an in-car player.

The company isn't commenting on the registration. As before, though, Spotify is believed to be pursuing its own hardware as an answer to competition from the likes of Amazon, Apple and Google, all of whom have their own speakers to go with their services. Hardware would both give Spotify a truly unified experience and would boost its bottom line -- important for a company that recently went public and wants to prove that it can generate a healthy profit.