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Spotify makes audiobooks free for premium subscribers

Economic Times

Economic Times · 1y ago

Spotify makes audiobooks free for premium subscribers

Spotify is expanding its offerings by introducing audiobooks to its streaming service. Starting with premium subscribers in the UK and Australia, users will have access to 15 hours of audiobooks per month, with plans to expand to US subscribers later on. This move is seen as a challenge to Amazon-owned Audible's dominance in the audiobook market. Spotify aims to leverage its recommendation algorithms to help publishers reach new audiences and disrupt the traditional audiobook business model by paying for the amount of time customers listen, rather than per audiobook.

Related News

Spotify launches a $9.99/mo standalone audiobooks service for its free users

TechCrunch · 1y ago

Spotify launches a $9.99/mo standalone audiobooks service for its free users

Spotify is introducing an "Audiobooks Access Tier" for its free users in the US, allowing them to stream 15 hours of audiobooks from its collection of over 200,000 titles for a monthly fee of $9.99. This move by Spotify could potentially upsell audiobooks to customers who aren't as interested in its music service, as well as offer an alternative to Audible's subscription model. Since launching audiobooks for its premium subscribers, Spotify has seen a 45% increase in free users searching for and interacting with audiobook content.

Spotify brings its free audiobooks perk for Premium users to Canada, Ireland and New Zealand

TechCrunch · 1y ago

Spotify brings its free audiobooks perk for Premium users to Canada, Ireland and New Zealand

Spotify is expanding its free audiobooks service to Canada, Ireland, and New Zealand, offering users in these markets 15 hours of free listening time per month. The streaming platform is also increasing its audiobooks catalog from 200,000 to 250,000 titles. This expansion follows Spotify's announcement that it is the second-largest audiobook provider, trailing Audible, and has seen users listen to over 150,000 titles since launching the free service in November 2020. Premium subscribers can access audiobooks marked as "Included in Premium," and additional 10-hour allocations can be purchased if users run out of listening time.

Spotify’s new audiobook tier will only save you a dollar over Premium

The Verge

The Verge · 1y ago

Spotify’s new audiobook tier will only save you a dollar over Premium

Spotify has introduced a new subscription tier aimed at book lovers, offering 15 free listening hours of audiobooks for $9.99 per month. However, compared to the classic Premium plan, which costs $10.99, the audiobook plan provides fewer benefits. Premium subscribers not only get the same number of audiobook hours but also enjoy ad-free music and podcasts. Moreover, the new tier does not offer any additional perks for readers and has a cap on listening limits. This move by Spotify has sparked controversy in the publishing industry, particularly surrounding compensation for authors.

Spotify to test full music videos in potential YouTube faceoff

Economic Times

Economic Times · 1y ago

Spotify to test full music videos in potential YouTube faceoff

Spotify is testing full-length music videos for premium subscribers in a limited beta launch, stepping into YouTube's territory. The feature will be available to premium users in select countries, including the UK, Germany, Italy, and Brazil. Spotify aims to reach 1 billion users by 2030 but faces competition from YouTube and Apple Music. The music streaming company had previously introduced short video clips for artists. Spotify has been expanding its services to include podcasts and audiobooks to attract more users. As of February, it anticipated having 239 million premium subscribers in the current quarter.

Spotify's monthly user growth, subscribers beat expectations

Reuters · 1y ago

Spotify's monthly user growth, subscribers beat expectations

Music streaming platform Spotify reported strong fourth-quarter performance, with monthly active users and premium subscribers surpassing expectations. The company’s user base increased by 23% to 602 million, while premium subscribers grew by 15% to 236 million. Spotify aims to reach 1 billion users by 2030 and has expanded into podcasts and audiobooks. Despite positive trends, Spotify's first-quarter forecast for total users and revenue came in below Wall Street expectations. The company posted a fourth-quarter operating loss of €75 million, reduced from €231 million in the same period the previous year.

Spotify Tests Removing Lyrics From Free Tier, Sparks "Controversy"

Robots · 1y ago

Spotify Tests Removing Lyrics From Free Tier, Sparks "Controversy"

Spotify is conducting a test that restricts access to lyrics for select free-tier users, displaying a message encouraging them to upgrade to Spotify Premium. This move suggests Spotify's aim to boost its paid subscriptions and address the growing disparity between free and premium users. While the test has sparked controversy, it is part of Spotify's efforts to monetize its platform and increase the conversion rate from free to paid subscribers. The company has not confirmed whether this change will become permanent.

Spotify expands audiobook access to family plan members for the first time | TechCrunch

TechCrunch · 1m ago

Spotify expands audiobook access to family plan members for the first time | TechCrunch

Spotify has expanded its premium audiobooks service, introducing two new plans offering more listening hours and access for family members. Available in select countries like the U.K. and Australia, the Audiobooks+ plan adds 15 extra monthly listening hours to the base Premium plan. Family and Duo plan members can now share 15 monthly audiobook hours. Users must request access from plan managers, who can purchase add-ons. Spotify aims to grow its audiobook market and catalog of 375,000 titles.

Spotify is letting authors market like musicians

The Verge

The Verge · 1y ago

Spotify is letting authors market like musicians

Spotify is introducing a new feature called Countdown Pages, which allows audiobook authors and publishers to promote their upcoming releases. Building on a similar feature already used by music artists, Countdown Pages let fans pre-save audiobooks and automatically add them to their library upon release. The feature, set to launch in mid-April, aims to differentiate Spotify as an audiobook provider and engage fans in a way that mirrors the music industry's promotional strategies. This move aligns with Spotify's approach of offering audiobooks through premium streaming rather than traditional purchasing models.

Spotify adds music videos in some countries

TechCrunch · 1y ago

Spotify adds music videos in some countries

Spotify is introducing music videos to its mobile and desktop apps in select markets. Users can seamlessly switch between audio and music videos on the app, which will be available in beta in 11 countries including Brazil, Italy, and the UK. Music videos are accessible to premium subscribers, while free users are still directed to YouTube for video content. The feature will allow users to start music videos from the "Now Playing" screen and switch back to audio whenever desired. Spotify plans to expand the catalog of music videos and increase availability to more countries.

Spotify adds video learning courses in latest experiment

The Verge

The Verge · 1y ago

Spotify adds video learning courses in latest experiment

Streaming service Spotify is launching an experiment in the UK, offering video-based online courses alongside its music, podcasts, and audiobooks. Four course providers, including BBC Maestro and Skillshare, will offer content ranging from music production to business skills. The courses will be accessible on mobile and desktop platforms within the Spotify app, and users will have access to at least two lessons for free, with full access available for a fee. Spotify is aiming to tap into the growing trend of users seeking educational content on its platform.

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