Quick Hits: Spotify’s free limits; NYT on Napster’s impact; mobile boosts global ad revenue

Brief news items and worthy reads from around the web:

Will Spotify restrict free listening? Last week, rumors circulated that Spotify may be facing pressure from labels to put restrictions on its free listening plans. The MusicAlly blog broke down the situation, from the questionable source to the fact that Spotify has gone down that road before.

Napster and the ‘culture of free’: The New York Times ran a feature on the impact of Napster on the current music industry. “It irrevocably altered not only the way in which Americans absorbed music but also their belief system in what they should pay,” Clyde Haberman wrote.

Mobile boosts global ad revenue: A study from ZenithOptimedia showed that global ad revenue is expected to rise 4.9% to $545 billion in 2015. The research projected 5-6% annual growth over the next three years. Mobile ads are expected to be 51% of new ad dollars spent, showing that the on-the-go trend isn’t likely to wane in any industries. [The Hollywood Reporter]

Anna Washenko