Spotify plans to launch 'Music Pro', a premium subscription offering lossless audio. The move comes amid competition from Apple Music. (AP) News 

Spotify considering launching Music Pro subscription

Spotify is set to introduce a new subscription tier called ‘Music Pro,’ which will cater to audiophiles by providing high-quality lossless audio. This move is seen as a response to increasing competition in the streaming market, with Apple Music already offering comparable features. Rumors about Spotify’s project for lossless audio have been circulating for years, before Apple Music adopted the technology in 2021. Despite this, the name Spotify HiFi has remained elusive. According to The Verge, however, indications suggest that Spotify is now laying the groundwork for the rollout of…

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Spotify joins hands with several e-learning platforms to provide video-based courses. (unsplash) News 

Spotify launches video-based educational courses in the UK for premium subscribers

Spotify, a well-known music streaming platform, has recently expanded its services to include video-based courses in partnership with various educational platforms. This new feature is currently being introduced in the UK, alongside the music and podcast tabs. Users interested in accessing these courses may need to subscribe to Spotify’s premium plan to gain full access or purchase them separately. Stay informed about Spotify’s latest venture into the e-learning industry. Spotify offers video-based courses in the UK According to a report by Android Police, Spotify has integrated video courses on several…

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Spotify is starting the music videos feature with limited countries for now, and you need to be a paid subscriber as well. News 

Spotify Introduces Music Videos as a New Feature Exclusively for Premium Subscribers

Spotify is bringing a new popular feature that it hopes will attract new users and get them to pay for the platform. Spotify has announced music videos for its premium subscribers, which is basically a direct competition to YouTube and YouTube Music as well. It’s interesting that it’s taken Spotify this long to get this feature, which YouTube Music has offered since the beginning. The feature allows you to switch a track between audio and video with one click. Spotify’s version of this feature is currently in beta, which means…

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The European Commission's decision was triggered by a 2019 complaint by Spotify over restrictions and Apple's 30% App Store fees. (REUTERS) News 

Apple fined 1.8 billion euros by EU for antitrust violations in Spotify case

On Monday, Apple received its first-ever EU antitrust fine of more than 1.8 billion euros ($1.95 billion) for blocking Spotify and other music streaming services from sharing alternative payment options with users outside of its App Store. The European Commission’s decision was prompted by a 2019 complaint by Swedish music streaming service Spotify about this restriction and Apple’s 30% App Store fees. The European Union’s competition watchdog said Apple’s restrictions were unfair trading conditions, a relatively new argument in a cartel case, and was also used by the Dutch competition…

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Spotify introduces 'Song Psychic,' a fun feature predicting life's answers through music. (Spotify) News 

Spotify introduces new ‘Song Psychic’ feature for predicting musical preferences

Spotify has unveiled its newest feature, Song Psychic, which combines technology and music in a fun and creative way. This innovative addition offers users a unique way to discover their fate through personalized song suggestions. The introduction of Song Psychic not only boosts user involvement but also fosters fresh opportunities for imaginative interaction in the world of music. Song Psychic isn’t just another feature; it is a unique experience that invites users to seek answers to life’s questions through the lens of music. To dive into this musical divination adventure,…

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Layoffs in the first month of 2024 have left tens of thousands without jobs, with the tech industry alone cutting 32,000 roles. (AP) News 

How companies use alternative terms to refer to layoffs in the context of Spotify and Meta platforms.

Have you experienced an unexpected change in your career recently? Maybe you were affected by “corporate outplacing,” which is unfortunately seen as a necessary outcome of your company’s efforts to “rightsize.” Managers are struggling to find new ways to inform employees that they no longer have a job. In the first month of 2024, numerous layoffs have resulted in tens of thousands of individuals losing their jobs, with the tech industry alone eliminating 32,000 positions. The manner in which this unfortunate news is communicated has become increasingly crucial, as companies…

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Joe Rogan has developed a huge audience who listen to his long, wide-ranging interviews with a variety of guests, including comedians, athletes, scientists and conspiracy theorists. (AP) News 

Joe Rogan, a podcast host known for controversy, secures a lucrative contract with Spotify worth a potential $250 million.

Controversial podcast host Joe Rogan has recently entered into a new multi-year partnership agreement with Spotify. As a result, his highly popular show will soon be accessible on other platforms such as YouTube and Apple Podcasts, in addition to Spotify. Spotify announced the renewed partnership on the company’s corporate blog on Friday. Under a previous multi-million dollar deal, “The Joe Rogan Experience” had been a Spotify exclusive since 2020. The Wall Street Journal, which first reported the new deal on Friday, estimated the new deal to be worth up to…

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Spotify feels that Apple's new plan to comply with the European Union's Digital Markets Act (DMA) is "a complete and total farce." News 

Spotify criticizes Apple’s compliance with EU regulation as a ‘farce’, says report

(Reuters) – Spotify said on Friday that Apple’s new plan to comply with the European Union’s Digital Markets Act (DMA) is a “complete and utter farce”. Starting in early March, developers will be able to offer alternative app stores for iPhones and opt out of Apple’s in-app payment system, which charges up to 30 percent fees under the bloc’s new rules. However, under Apple’s new EU system, developers still have to pay a “core technology fee” of 50 cents per user account per year. “Apple has been clear from the…

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Spotify criticizes Apple's plan to comply with EU's DMA as a farce (AP) News 

Spotify criticizes Apple’s compliance with EU regulation as a ‘farce’

Spotify has criticized Apple’s proposed solution to adhere to the European Union’s Digital Markets Act (DMA), calling it a “complete and utter mockery.” Starting in early March, developers will have the option to provide alternative app stores on iPhones and avoid using Apple’s in-app payment system, which imposes commissions of up to 30%, as per the new regulations set by the bloc. However, under Apple’s new EU system, developers still have to pay a “core technology fee” of 50 cents per user account per year. “Apple has been clear from…

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Spotify has for years been in embroiled in a legal battle, alleging that it was forced to raise the price of its monthly subscriptions to cover costs tied to Apple's App Store rules. (Bloomberg) News 

After the DMA is implemented, Spotify will introduce in-app purchases on iPhone in Europe.

On Wednesday, Spotify announced that starting from March, users in Europe will have the ability to purchase audiobooks and subscription plans directly within the music-streaming app. This development is a direct outcome of the region’s new competition law for Big Tech, according to the Swedish company. The move helps the company avoid Apple’s 30 percent fee on purchases through its App Store, which has long been a source of contention between app developers and the tech giant. Spotify has been embroiled in a legal battle for years, claiming it was…

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The author worries that Spotify's Audiobooks will takeover books. (unsplash) News 

Authors Express Concerns Over Spotify’s Entry into Audiobooks, Fearing Financial Loss

US authors are expressing concerns about Spotify Technology SA’s entry into the audiobook market, fearing that they will not receive fair compensation from the streaming platform. In October, Spotify started providing free audiobooks to its millions of subscribers as part of their monthly plans. While all of the major publishers, including Penguin Random House LLC, have joined the initiative and expressed enthusiasm, some authors are apprehensive about the potential financial implications. But not everyone in the book industry is thrilled, including Bradley Tusk, a New York-based venture capitalist, author and…

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Apple is expected to be hit by a ban on its App Store rules that govern some musicstreaming services and a potential hefty fine from European Union regulators, Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday. News 

Spotify Puts Apple in Another Antitrust Battle in EU

(Reuters) – Apple is expected to face a ban from App Store rules governing certain music streaming services and a possible hefty fine from European Union regulators, Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday. EU officials are finalizing a decision that would ban Apple’s practice of preventing music services from pushing their users away from the App Store to alternative subscription options, the report cited people familiar with the investigation. The decision is due early next year, and Apple could be fined up to 10 percent of its annual sales, Bloomberg reported.…

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Spotify announced a major layoffs recently which felt out of turn based on its results but Ek has finally shared the reasons. News 

Gain More Insight into Spotify CEO’s Explanation for December 2023 Layoffs Affecting 1500 Employees

Spotify continues to spread high subscriber numbers in the market, giving it a clear lead over Apple Music and other services. However, the streaming giant recently decided to lay off more than 1,000 employees, and no one could conclude why. Usually, companies choose to keep quiet when laying off their employees, but Spotify’s CEO has done the right thing by highlighting the reason why 1,500 Spotify employees lost their jobs this month. According to a report from Business Insider, Spotify CEO Daniel Ek has sent a memo to the existing…

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Spotify personal recommendations update may be coming soon that will allow you to switch it off entirely. (Bloomberg) News 

Discover the Future of Spotify: Get Ready to Turn Off Your Personal Recommendations!

Spotify, the popular music streaming platform, has become a favorite app for many people seeking high-quality music. Since its launch in 2008, it has gained immense popularity, particularly for its free version. Offering a vast collection of songs and genres ranging from rock, pop, metal, reggae to rap, Spotify caters to diverse musical tastes. Through regular updates and innovative features, it successfully engages a large number of users on a daily basis. Recently, there have been reports of Spotify experimenting with a new feature that allows users to disable personal…

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Spotify hasn't specified when the ability to turn off personal recommendations will be available or if the trial is limited to specific regions. News 

Say Goodbye To Personalised Playlists: Try Spotify’s New Option!

Music streaming platform Spotify is testing a new feature that allows users to turn off their personal recommendations. This means that songs played by other people using your account will not affect your own music suggestions. According to a MacRumors report, the new option could allow users to prevent songs played on behalf of other listeners on their account from influencing their personal recommendations. The step will probably be welcomed by Spotify users who are not completely satisfied with the success rate of the service’s algorithms in matching new songs…

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Spotify estimates it can generate around a billion dollars in additional revenue for artists over the next five years. (REUTERS) News 

Spotify’s Billion Dollar Shakeup: How Will Rights Holders Get Paid?

Spotify, the leading music streaming platform, announced on Tuesday that it plans to make changes to its artist payment system by 2024. These modifications will involve implementing a minimum threshold for the number of streams a song must receive in order for artists to receive royalties. With the announced changes, Spotify estimates that it can generate approximately $1 billion in additional revenue for artists over the next five years. The world’s biggest music streaming platform said on its website for artists that it plans to “further prevent artificial streaming, better…

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Google has paid Samsung billions to get its apps on Galaxy phones, but that's not the only deal that the tech giant has made as per new reports. News 

Google and Spotify’s Secret Deal: What’s Got Other Developers Fuming?

Google and Epic Games are battling it out in court this week, and details emerging from the case have shed more light on how Google has operated the market over the years. The company has made selective deals with Apple to push its search engine into iPhones for billions and even paid Samsung to have its apps as the default on Galaxy devices. The latest revelation in this case is another secret deal Google has with music streaming platform Spotify, which has offered a free subscription business, as outlined in…

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This deal is very different from what most apps are subjected to on the Play Store, which is a 30 percent fee paid to Google for any transactions that take place. (REUTERS) News 

Google Gives Spotify a Free Pass: No Play Store Fees Required!

The ongoing Google antitrust trial is examining allegations that the company’s Google Play Store, the Android marketplace, has implemented monopolistic practices to exclude competition and affect the distribution of apps that choose not to be part of its marketplace due to high commission fees. On the ninth day of the trial, Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney provided testimony, and Google’s representatives made a surprising disclosure that Spotify receives special treatment and is not required to pay any commission fees for transactions conducted directly on the platform. According to a report…

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Know what’s happening in the AI universe today, November 16. (Pexels) AI 

Don’t Miss Out! 5 AI Developments That Could Change Your Life

1. Google Cloud and Spotify announce partnership On Thursday, Spotify announced a partnership with Google Cloud so that the music streaming platform utilizes Google’s artificial intelligence technology. In the release, Google Cloud revealed that Spotify leverages large-scale language models (LLM) to identify users’ listening habits, including podcasts and audiobooks, to provide tailored content and recommendations. Google Cloud CEO Thomas Kurian said: “Through this expanded partnership, Google Cloud’s AI tools will help Spotify improve the listening experience for its customers. Spotify also recognizes the potential of AI in their business, and…

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Earphones are seen on top of a smart phone with a Spotify logo on it, in Zenica. (REUTERS) AI 

Tune In to Spotify’s AI-Powered Podcast and Audiobook Recommendations!

In an effort to provide personalized recommendations, Spotify has extended its collaboration with Google Cloud by incorporating large language models (LLMs). This move aims to analyze users’ listening habits across podcasts and audiobooks, enabling the platform to offer customized suggestions. AI-powered LLMs, such as OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Google Bard, are trained to use vast amounts of data to generate text and other content. Google Cloud, owned by Alphabet, has several LLMs, including PaLM 2, Codey, Imagen, and Chirp, trained in text, code, images, audio, and video. Spotify has been an…

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