Americans have yet to be able to enjoy the spoils of Spotify, a European music streaming service that’s wildly popular across the pond. If the company wasn’t gunning for Apple before, they certainly are now -- with a new music download store, iPod syncing and mobile apps for free users.

Music Ally is reporting that Spotify appears to be ready to go “toe to toe” with Apple, expanding its popular European music streaming service to offer iTunes-like functionality which includes a music download store, syncing to iPods and even mobile apps for its more than nine million free users (the apps were previously only available to paid members of the service).

Spotify’s multi-pronged attack on iTunes has yet to hit American shores, but the streaming service is quite popular across Europe. The company’s latest moves are likely to fortify their position there prior to invading the U.S., which is widely expected sometime in 2011 after numerous delays.

So what’s new? Spotify’s desktop client is now aiming to replace iTunes, and the company’s mobile apps are aiming to do the same on your handset, with the updates rolling out on Wednesday.

The desktop application will automatically scan for existing MP3 files on your hard drive and import them, along with playlists from iTunes or Windows Media Player. Owners of iPods or even iOS devices will be able to sync right from the desktop in the same manner they do from iTunes -- all without any kind of reverse-engineering that might get the company in hot water with Apple.

Once your music is on your mobile device, you can call it up via an iOS or Android app, which have previously been restricted to the company’s paid Premium members but will now be available to all users of the service, including the free ones. Streaming music remains a Premium feature, however.

The real challenge to iTunes will come with the ability to buy new music right from the Spotify store, which has been built in-house rather than outsourced to another company. The store is mostly an effort to monetize the service’s free users, but it’s also seen as a chance for the growing company to trip up iTunes’ dominance in the market, complete with “all four major labels, indie licensing body Merlin and other rights holders all on board.”

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(Image courtesy of Music Ally)