Pandora announced a desktop app for Windows users on September 12 following the Mac app earlier this year. There are a variety of functions, such as on-screen notifications, keyboard controls, and listening “modes”. However, streaming podcasts are not supported. Windows app functionality is similar to other Pandora apps.
Update: In the Windows Store description, there is a high-priced plan for streaming podcasts. But Pandora’s story is different. Podcast support is a future plan. So in this article, we have omitted support for podcasts.
Like Mac apps, Windows apps can be used by both free users and paid subscribers.
Free users have access to advertising stations (radio stations), and Pandora Plus subscribers have access to ad-free stations and unlimited skips, personalized stations, and up to four offline stations. Pandora Premium subscribers can enjoy these pluses, playlist sharing, album playback, song on-demand, and unlimited offline listening.
This is the same as the Mac app, but you can use the keyboard to control playback, pause, replay, shuffle, thumb up and down. The Pandora Modes feature allows you to place detailed orders for your personalized station. Current popular songs, recommendations for new artists, large cuts, specific artists only, new songs only, etc.
Even on desktops with good web browsers, many people prefer music apps rather than keep browser tabs open for music. This is because a smoother and more consistent music experience is possible. However, Pandora’s Mac app has not yet been praised by users.
Pandora is still trying to compete with Apple Music and Spotify, which already have desktop apps by launching desktop apps that don’t rely solely on the web. In the case of Apple, it is trying to make its central part independent from the next version of macOS because of the reflection on iTunes principle. But Pandora, without a user library or marketplace doesn’t have that problem.
Windows users can download the Pandora app from the Microsoft Store today.
The app runs on Windows 10. Pandora has a separate streaming app for Xbox. This is also available at the Microsoft Store.
