audiobooks

When Spotify announced in the fall that it was adding audiobooks to its streaming service, reactions in the publishing world were mixed: Many publishers saw Spotify's entrance as a chance to reach new audiences. But some agents and authors worried that streaming could erode the value of audiobooks, a lucrative and growing format.A few months later, there are early signs that Spotify is driving audiobook consumption -- which has been growing dramatically for more than a decade -- even higher.Elevate Your Tech Prowess with…

Spotify users in Europe will soon be able to purchase audiobooks and subscription plans directly within the music-streaming app, starting from March. This development follows the implementation of the region's new competition law for Big Tech,…

Spotify users in Europe from March will be able to buy audiobooks and subscription plans from within the music-streaming app as a result of the region's new competition law for Big Tech, the Swedish company said on Wednesday.The move will help the company avoid Apple's 30 percent fee for purchases through its App Store, which has long been a source of contention between app developers and the tech giant.Spotify has for years been in embroiled in a legal battle, alleging that it was forced to raise the price of its monthly…

Let the Light Pour In is “an experiment in hope”. For 10 years, the My Name Is Why author had been rising at dawn each day, writing a poem and posting it on social media. Those poems have since been turned into songs and tattoos, and emblazoned as murals on city walls.The project also yielded this collection of poems about early morning and the meeting of darkness and light. In his introduction, Sissay says that poetry is “a daily practice. My meditation. It can take minutes or hours. A friend advised me to ‘Wake with…

If you thought Big Tech’s dreadful year of layoffs would be confined to 2023, you’re (sadly) mistaken. Audible laid off around five percent of its employees on Thursday, which Variety reports is “just over 100 staffers.” The cuts in the audiobook division are part of parent company Amazon’s most recent round of layoffs, also affecting Prime Video, MGM, and Twitch.“We did not take this route without considerable thought,” Audible CEO Bob Carrigan reportedly said in an audio memo delivered to staff. “But getting leaner and…

Audiobooks are a great way to bring words on a page to life and fit reading into your schedule throughout the day when you’re doing things like working out, cooking, driving and relaxing. Amazon-owned Audible is arguably the most popular audiobook app out there, but there are several other lesser-known options that offer a great listening experience if you’re looking to try out a new app or just starting to get into the world of audiobooks. We have compiled a list of six audiobook apps that we think are worth…

Spotify Technology SA's big leap into audiobooks is facing a backlash from US authors who fear they'll be short-changed by the streaming giant. Spotify began offering complimentary audiobooks to millions of customers in October as part of their monthly subscriptions. All of the so-called Big Five publishers signed on, with Penguin Random House LLC saying it was “excited” to place titles on the service.  But not everyone in the book industry is thrilled, including Bradley Tusk, a New York-based venture capitalist, author…

The defendants argued that the AI-powered voice was not Yin's original voice and should be distinguished from the latter.The court is scheduled to reveal its ruling at a later date, China Daily reported. Yin has sued for 600,000 yuan ($84,718) in financial losses and an additional 100,000 yuan for mental distress. The legal case follows another last month when a Chinese court ruled in favor of a plaintiff, surnamed Li, who accused another of using an image he generated using an open source AI software, without his…

Image Source : PIXABAY Spotify announces third round of layoffs in 2023 with 17 per cent job cuts Spotify, a Music streaming giant has announced its third round of layoffs. The company is set to eliminate around 17 per cent of its workforce across the company as it looks forward to becoming "both productive and efficient". Why is the company laying off again?…

Audiobooks have long been a luxury digital good. That’s slowly starting to change. A new entrant, Spotify, is changing the economics of the listenable reads. It used to cost up to $40 a pop or a $15 monthly subscription to access one audiobook each billing cycle. Now, audio titles can come bundled with a music plan, or even free. Copyright ©2023Dow Jones & Company, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 87990cbe856818d5eddac44c7b1cdeb8 Audiobooks have long been a luxury digital good. That’s slowly starting to change. A new…