Music streaming service Rara.com is increasing its presence by launching iOS and Windows 8 apps, as well as updating its Android and web offerings.

Rara.com, a UK rival to Spotify, has also expanded its service to 27 countries, while select Lenovo Windows 8 and Android devices will come with the app preloaded. 

The ad-free service,  launched in December 2011, provides access to more than 18 million music tracks that can be streamed via a mobile device or computer.

As with the Android version, iOS and customers who adopt the soon to be released Windows 8 platform will be able to enjoy an introductory price when signing up to Rara.com from their mobile devices. For the first three months, access will cost just £1.99 a month, then £9.99 a month to continue the service. 

Access via the Rara.com website is also available for 99p a month for the first three months, followed by £4.99 thereafter. 

Having partnered with Lenovo, the Rara.com app will be preloaded on the IdeaTab S2110, A2105, A2107 and A2109 tablets as well as a range of Windows 8 laptops and PCs.

The Android app has also been updated, enabling users to control playback direct from a widget that sits on the home screen. The web service has also been tweaked, making it easier to sign up as well as to iron out any stability issues.

Brazil, Mexico, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Malaysia, South Africa and Portugal can now all use Rara.com’s service, increasing its global reach. 

Rara.com has not released figures in terms of how many subscribers it currently has – which is perhaps fair enough, considering its relative infancy – but this latest push should crank up the pressure on the likes of Spotify.

The BBC recently unveiled its own Spotify rival in the shape of Playlister, expected to arrive early 2013.

The Rara.com app is available to download now for iOS and Android from the Apple App Store and Google Play store respectively. Expect it to be rolled out to the Windows Store shortly after Microsoft releases its Windows 8 OS on 26 October.