Pocketnow Daily: Amazon Made a Wall-E Robot for $999 🤯, Google Pixel 6 Pricing 👀 & more!

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On today’s Pocketnow Daily, we talk about the latest Amazon robot called Astro, Google Pixel Fold rumors, and more.

The post Pocketnow Daily: Amazon Made a Wall-E Robot for $999 🤯, Google Pixel 6 Pricing 👀 & more! appeared first on Pocketnow.

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Spotify podcast subscription is here, and it already has an upper hand over Apple

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Apple introduced podcast subscriptions earlier this month. Now, Spotify is also throwing its hat in the ring, following a report last week that predicted the same. The music streaming giant has today announced paid subscriptions for podcasts, but is taking a different route than what Apple has put into place when it comes to revenue sharing.

The paid subscription for podcasts starts rolling out for creators in the US starting today, with plans of expansion into more markets in the coming months. But unlike Apple Podcasts that offer in-app subscriptions, Spotify will offload the subscription process to Anchor. What this means is Spotify will also be able to avoid the 30% fee Apple charges for in-app payments.

spotify subscriptions body

Paid content in the Spotify app will be identifiable with a lock icon on play button

As for the paid podcast content, it will be discoverable in the Spotify app just like regular content, but it will stand out from the free content with a lock icon on the play button. For now, there are 12 partners who will be rolling out paywalled podcasts, but Spotify has already started accepting submissions from the waitlist to add more creators who can charge users for their content.

Another key difference between Spotify and Apple’s approach to podcast subscription is how revenue is shared. Apple will charge creators a fixed annual fee and will also take up to a 30% cut of the revenue. Spotify, on the other hand, won’t charge any fee, and will not take any cut of the subscription – not until 2023 – which is when the streaming service will start taking home a 5% share.

spotify podcasts

So, how much will podcast subscriptions on Spotify cost? Well, creators have the freedom to choose between three pricing tiers – $2.99/month, $4.99/month, and $7.99/month. They can also choose which episode remains free, and which one is paywalled. Aside from Spotify, users will be able to enjoy paid podcasts from their RSS feed as well. All subscription management can be done from Anchor, and the changes made there will instantly reflect in the Spotify app.

The post Spotify podcast subscription is here, and it already has an upper hand over Apple appeared first on Pocketnow.

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Spotify podcast subscription is here, and it already has an upper hand over Apple

It's only fair to share...Share on RedditShare on FacebookShare on Google+Tweet about this on TwitterPin on PinterestShare on Tumblr

Apple introduced podcast subscriptions earlier this month. Now, Spotify is also throwing its hat in the ring, following a report last week that predicted the same. The music streaming giant has today announced paid subscriptions for podcasts, but is taking a different route than what Apple has put into place when it comes to revenue sharing.

The paid subscription for podcasts starts rolling out for creators in the US starting today, with plans of expansion into more markets in the coming months. But unlike Apple Podcasts that offer in-app subscriptions, Spotify will offload the subscription process to Anchor. What this means is Spotify will also be able to avoid the 30% fee Apple charges for in-app payments.

spotify subscriptions body

Paid content in the Spotify app will be identifiable with a lock icon on play button

As for the paid podcast content, it will be discoverable in the Spotify app just like regular content, but it will stand out from the free content with a lock icon on the play button. For now, there are 12 partners who will be rolling out paywalled podcasts, but Spotify has already started accepting submissions from the waitlist to add more creators who can charge users for their content.

Another key difference between Spotify and Apple’s approach to podcast subscription is how revenue is shared. Apple will charge creators a fixed annual fee and will also take up to a 30% cut of the revenue. Spotify, on the other hand, won’t charge any fee, and will not take any cut of the subscription – not until 2023 – which is when the streaming service will start taking home a 5% share.

spotify podcasts

So, how much will podcast subscriptions on Spotify cost? Well, creators have the freedom to choose between three pricing tiers – $2.99/month, $4.99/month, and $7.99/month. They can also choose which episode remains free, and which one is paywalled. Aside from Spotify, users will be able to enjoy paid podcasts from their RSS feed as well. All subscription management can be done from Anchor, and the changes made there will instantly reflect in the Spotify app.

The post Spotify podcast subscription is here, and it already has an upper hand over Apple appeared first on Pocketnow.

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Spotify podcast subscription is here, and it already has an upper hand over Apple

It's only fair to share...Share on RedditShare on FacebookShare on Google+Tweet about this on TwitterPin on PinterestShare on Tumblr

Apple introduced podcast subscriptions earlier this month. Now, Spotify is also throwing its hat in the ring, following a report last week that predicted the same. The music streaming giant has today announced paid subscriptions for podcasts, but is taking a different route than what Apple has put into place when it comes to revenue sharing.

The paid subscription for podcasts starts rolling out for creators in the US starting today, with plans of expansion into more markets in the coming months. But unlike Apple Podcasts that offer in-app subscriptions, Spotify will offload the subscription process to Anchor. What this means is Spotify will also be able to avoid the 30% fee Apple charges for in-app payments.

spotify subscriptions body

Paid content in the Spotify app will be identifiable with a lock icon on play button

As for the paid podcast content, it will be discoverable in the Spotify app just like regular content, but it will stand out from the free content with a lock icon on the play button. For now, there are 12 partners who will be rolling out paywalled podcasts, but Spotify has already started accepting submissions from the waitlist to add more creators who can charge users for their content.

Another key difference between Spotify and Apple’s approach to podcast subscription is how revenue is shared. Apple will charge creators a fixed annual fee and will also take up to a 30% cut of the revenue. Spotify, on the other hand, won’t charge any fee, and will not take any cut of the subscription – not until 2023 – which is when the streaming service will start taking home a 5% share.

spotify podcasts

So, how much will podcast subscriptions on Spotify cost? Well, creators have the freedom to choose between three pricing tiers – $2.99/month, $4.99/month, and $7.99/month. They can also choose which episode remains free, and which one is paywalled. Aside from Spotify, users will be able to enjoy paid podcasts from their RSS feed as well. All subscription management can be done from Anchor, and the changes made there will instantly reflect in the Spotify app.

The post Spotify podcast subscription is here, and it already has an upper hand over Apple appeared first on Pocketnow.

It's only fair to share...Share on RedditShare on FacebookShare on Google+Tweet about this on TwitterPin on PinterestShare on Tumblr

Spotify podcast subscription is here, and it already has an upper hand over Apple

It's only fair to share...Share on RedditShare on FacebookShare on Google+Tweet about this on TwitterPin on PinterestShare on Tumblr

Apple introduced podcast subscriptions earlier this month. Now, Spotify is also throwing its hat in the ring, following a report last week that predicted the same. The music streaming giant has today announced paid subscriptions for podcasts, but is taking a different route than what Apple has put into place when it comes to revenue sharing.

The paid subscription for podcasts starts rolling out for creators in the US starting today, with plans of expansion into more markets in the coming months. But unlike Apple Podcasts that offer in-app subscriptions, Spotify will offload the subscription process to Anchor. What this means is Spotify will also be able to avoid the 30% fee Apple charges for in-app payments.

spotify subscriptions body

Paid content in the Spotify app will be identifiable with a lock icon on play button

As for the paid podcast content, it will be discoverable in the Spotify app just like regular content, but it will stand out from the free content with a lock icon on the play button. For now, there are 12 partners who will be rolling out paywalled podcasts, but Spotify has already started accepting submissions from the waitlist to add more creators who can charge users for their content.

Another key difference between Spotify and Apple’s approach to podcast subscription is how revenue is shared. Apple will charge creators a fixed annual fee and will also take up to a 30% cut of the revenue. Spotify, on the other hand, won’t charge any fee, and will not take any cut of the subscription – not until 2023 – which is when the streaming service will start taking home a 5% share.

spotify podcasts

So, how much will podcast subscriptions on Spotify cost? Well, creators have the freedom to choose between three pricing tiers – $2.99/month, $4.99/month, and $7.99/month. They can also choose which episode remains free, and which one is paywalled. Aside from Spotify, users will be able to enjoy paid podcasts from their RSS feed as well. All subscription management can be done from Anchor, and the changes made there will instantly reflect in the Spotify app.

The post Spotify podcast subscription is here, and it already has an upper hand over Apple appeared first on Pocketnow.

It's only fair to share...Share on RedditShare on FacebookShare on Google+Tweet about this on TwitterPin on PinterestShare on Tumblr

Spotify podcast subscription is here, and it already has an upper hand over Apple

It's only fair to share...Share on RedditShare on FacebookShare on Google+Tweet about this on TwitterPin on PinterestShare on Tumblr

Apple introduced podcast subscriptions earlier this month. Now, Spotify is also throwing its hat in the ring, following a report last week that predicted the same. The music streaming giant has today announced paid subscriptions for podcasts, but is taking a different route than what Apple has put into place when it comes to revenue sharing.

The paid subscription for podcasts starts rolling out for creators in the US starting today, with plans of expansion into more markets in the coming months. But unlike Apple Podcasts that offer in-app subscriptions, Spotify will offload the subscription process to Anchor. What this means is Spotify will also be able to avoid the 30% fee Apple charges for in-app payments.

spotify subscriptions body

Paid content in the Spotify app will be identifiable with a lock icon on play button

As for the paid podcast content, it will be discoverable in the Spotify app just like regular content, but it will stand out from the free content with a lock icon on the play button. For now, there are 12 partners who will be rolling out paywalled podcasts, but Spotify has already started accepting submissions from the waitlist to add more creators who can charge users for their content.

Another key difference between Spotify and Apple’s approach to podcast subscription is how revenue is shared. Apple will charge creators a fixed annual fee and will also take up to a 30% cut of the revenue. Spotify, on the other hand, won’t charge any fee, and will not take any cut of the subscription – not until 2023 – which is when the streaming service will start taking home a 5% share.

spotify podcasts

So, how much will podcast subscriptions on Spotify cost? Well, creators have the freedom to choose between three pricing tiers – $2.99/month, $4.99/month, and $7.99/month. They can also choose which episode remains free, and which one is paywalled. Aside from Spotify, users will be able to enjoy paid podcasts from their RSS feed as well. All subscription management can be done from Anchor, and the changes made there will instantly reflect in the Spotify app.

The post Spotify podcast subscription is here, and it already has an upper hand over Apple appeared first on Pocketnow.

It's only fair to share...Share on RedditShare on FacebookShare on Google+Tweet about this on TwitterPin on PinterestShare on Tumblr

Spotify podcast subscription is here, and it already has an upper hand over Apple

It's only fair to share...Share on RedditShare on FacebookShare on Google+Tweet about this on TwitterPin on PinterestShare on Tumblr

Apple introduced podcast subscriptions earlier this month. Now, Spotify is also throwing its hat in the ring, following a report last week that predicted the same. The music streaming giant has today announced paid subscriptions for podcasts, but is taking a different route than what Apple has put into place when it comes to revenue sharing.

The paid subscription for podcasts starts rolling out for creators in the US starting today, with plans of expansion into more markets in the coming months. But unlike Apple Podcasts that offer in-app subscriptions, Spotify will offload the subscription process to Anchor. What this means is Spotify will also be able to avoid the 30% fee Apple charges for in-app payments.

spotify subscriptions body

Paid content in the Spotify app will be identifiable with a lock icon on play button

As for the paid podcast content, it will be discoverable in the Spotify app just like regular content, but it will stand out from the free content with a lock icon on the play button. For now, there are 12 partners who will be rolling out paywalled podcasts, but Spotify has already started accepting submissions from the waitlist to add more creators who can charge users for their content.

Another key difference between Spotify and Apple’s approach to podcast subscription is how revenue is shared. Apple will charge creators a fixed annual fee and will also take up to a 30% cut of the revenue. Spotify, on the other hand, won’t charge any fee, and will not take any cut of the subscription – not until 2023 – which is when the streaming service will start taking home a 5% share.

spotify podcasts

So, how much will podcast subscriptions on Spotify cost? Well, creators have the freedom to choose between three pricing tiers – $2.99/month, $4.99/month, and $7.99/month. They can also choose which episode remains free, and which one is paywalled. Aside from Spotify, users will be able to enjoy paid podcasts from their RSS feed as well. All subscription management can be done from Anchor, and the changes made there will instantly reflect in the Spotify app.

The post Spotify podcast subscription is here, and it already has an upper hand over Apple appeared first on Pocketnow.

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Spotify is raising the price of several of its plans in the US, UK, and Europe

Spotify has announced the increase in the subscription price for several of its plans across a number of regions including the US, UK, and parts of Europe. These new prices will go into effect starting April 30. The company has sent out emails to UK customers alerting them to a variety of increases. The pricing change includes Student plans, Spotify Family plan, the Duo plan, and more.

Spotify is raising the price of several of its plans ranging from £4.99 to £14.99 per month. The Spotify Student subscription price is getting increased from £4.99 to £5.99 per month. On the other hand, the price of a Duo plan is being raised from £12.99 to £13.99. Plus, you will now have to pay £16.99 instead of £14.99  per month for the Spotify Family plan. These prices are valid for the UK.

Coming to the other parts of Europe, Ireland is also seeing the Spotify price hike. Spotify’s Student and Duo plans are increasing to €5.99 and €12.99 per month, respectively. Further, the Family plan is seeing a change of €3 from €14.99 to €17.99 per month. As per The Verge, some countries in Asia and South America will see similar price increases soon.

The company will provide affected Spotify subscribers a one-month grace period before prices are automatically increased. Hence, a subscriber is likely to see an increase during the June billing cycle.

“We offer a variety of subscription plans tailored to our users’ needs, and we occasionally update our prices to reflect local macroeconomic factors and meet market demands while offering an unparalleled service,” a Spotify spokesperson told The Verge.

As for the US subscribers, Spotify is increasing the price of its Family plans. Instead of $15 per month, the plan will now cost $16 per month starting April 30. For the unaware, the Spotify Family plan allows up to six members in the same household access to an ad-free listening experience.

“We are increasing the price of Premium Family so we can continue to bring you new content and features that you can enjoy as a family and as individuals,” the company says in the message

The post Spotify is raising the price of several of its plans in the US, UK, and Europe appeared first on Pocketnow.

Facebook app adds a mini-player that streams music and podcast from Spotify

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Earlier this month, Facebook announced that the social media app will soon get a Spotify mini-player that will allow users to enjoy music and podcast pulled from the streaming service without leaving the app. Starting today, the Spotify mini-player starts appearing in the Facebook app – both iOS and Android – for users in select countries. Notably, it will be available for both free and premium tier of Spotify users, with a bit of difference in functionality.

Spotify mini-player is available for both free and premium users

For users with a Spotify Premium subscription, the mini-player in Facebook app will offer them full-playback control. Free users, on the other hand, will be able to hear the full song that appears in their news feed. However, the next track they hear will be through shuffle mode, and they’ll also have to go through ads as well – similar to the core Spotify app experience.

facebook spotify miniplayer

The process of sharing a song from Spotify as a post on your Facebook timeline is simple. Play a song in the Spotify app, tap on the three-dot menu button in the top-right corner, select Share from the drop-down menu, tap on the Facebook app icon in the share sheet, and you’re good to go. When your friends see the post and tap on the play button to hear the song you’ve shared, the mini-player will appear as a horizontal bar at the bottom.

You need the Spotify and Facebook apps installed on your phone

However, you need to have the Spotify and Facebook apps installed on your phone for the mini-player to appear and work as intended. That is because when users tap on the play button in the Spotify song post shared on Facebook, an automatic app switch takes place and playback starts in the background. Essentially, the Spotify app handles playback in the mini-player while running in the background, while you continue using the Facebook app.

In case you’re wondering about regional availability, the Spotify mini-player in Facebook is being rolled out for users in Argentina, Australia, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Indonesia, Israel, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, South Africa, Thailand, Uruguay, and the U.S. Facebook says that it will be released for users in more regions in the coming months.

The post Facebook app adds a mini-player that streams music and podcast from Spotify appeared first on Pocketnow.

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Spotify explores podcast subscriptions, but unlike Apple, it won’t charge creators

At its Spring Loaded event earlier this week, Apple introduced podcast subscriptions that will be rolled out for creators next month. The company will charge creators a monthly fee of $19.99 per year, while allowing them to set the price for their content that listeners will pay for. It looks like Apple will soon have some competition from another major player in the world of podcasts – Spotify. As per a report from TheWallStreetJournal, Spotify aims to diversify its financial stream by offering subscriptions.

“Apple’s podcast subscription, which rolls out next month to users, will have company. Spotify plans to announce its own offering next week, according to people familiar with the matter.”

Apple takes a healthy 30% cut from the subscription revenue. Spotify won't!

But more importantly, Spotify is not going to charge content creators – unlike Apple, which is collecting a fee of $19.99 on an annual basis as part of the Apple Podcasters Program. What is even more interesting is the fact that Spotify is not going to take a cut from the subscription revenue generated by creators, and will also allow them to set the price they want to charge their audience. Apple, on the other hand, take a 30% cut as part of its standard in-app purchase policy for the App Store.

Spotify has lately given a huge push to podcasts on its platform as the competition heats up with the arrival of big names in the game. Spotify launched video podcasts last year for both free and premium users. And earlier this month, Facebook announced a partnership with Spotify that will allow users to hear podcasts pulled from the streaming platform in the social media app itself. Spotify has also announced plans of entering the domain of live audio chatroom, a trend popularized by Clubhouse last year.

Spotify player integration in the Facebook app is also in the pipeline

Looking over to the competition, Amazon Music introduced podcasts in September last year, roping in some popular names such as DJ Khaled, Becky G, and Will Smith for exclusive content. Amazon then followed it by acquiring podcast-maker Wondery a few months later and merged it with the Amazon Music division. Less than a month later in January of 2021, Twitter announced the acquisition of Breaker, the self-proclaimed podcast app with a social media touch.

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Facebook is bringing podcasts to its platform with Spotify partnership at play

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Facebook has today extensively detailed its plans as to how it plans to exploit audio as the next avenue for growth. The social media behemoth has revealed that soon users will be able to play a podcast in the Facebook app itself. The company says that ‘within the next months’ users will be able to listen to podcasts while using the app, and even when it is in the background.

Moreover, Facebook’s algorithms will learn from your listening habits and will show you more content that might suit your taste. But that’s not all. Facebook also envisions this push into the realm of podcasts as a way for creators to engage with their audience on the same platform. “And podcast creators will be able to reach and connect with new listeners — all directly within the Facebook app,” the company.

Users will be able to listen to podcasts even when the Facebook app is running in background

Now, Facebook’s official announcement doesn’t go much into detail about whether these podcasts will be original or if they will be imported from another platform. And if they are going to be sourced from another platform, which one it is going to be? However, CEO Mark Zuckerberg recently revealed in a chat with tech journalist Casey Newton (via TechCrunch) that users will able to listen to podcasts hosted on Spotify in the Facebook app, thanks to deepening ties between the two companies.

facebook live audio
Facebook will let users share a portion of live audio chats as a podcast.

Facebook will reportedly add an in-line music player to its eponymous app that will allow users to listen to podcasts as well as songs from Spotify’s library. The feature is said to arrive in about a week’s time after having been tested in Thailand and Mexico among a handful of other non-US markets.

Facebook will let creators publish a portion of live audio chats as a podcast

But wait, there is more about Facebook’s newfound love for podcasts, as the company is also getting a bit original here. The company notes in its official blog post that it will allow creators to snip a portion of a live audio conversation – another feature coming to Facebook as well as Messenger soon – and publish it as a podcast.

The post Facebook is bringing podcasts to its platform with Spotify partnership at play appeared first on Pocketnow.

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Spotify confirms it uses your voice data to provide targeted ads

Spotify recently launched a voice assistant with “Hey Spotify” wake word to help you search and play your favorite content hands-free. However, this update has raised some privacy questions. Now, Spotify has revealed how it uses your voice data, its purpose and tackles some of the concerns. It has revealed more about how “Hey Spotify” works, including how it listens to and uses your data.

The streaming music giant stresses the fact that its voice helper is strictly optional and you have to switch it on or off. Further, Spotify goes on to say that it isn’t recording everything you say. It starts gathering your voice data only when you say the wake word or tap on the action button. The Spotify app is listening for the wake word in “few-second snippets,” but those are deleted if you don’t say the right words.

Spotify has published an FAQ where it details what it does with your voice data. It goes on to say that the company uses this data to recognize what you say, to understand you better, and to help the service provide a response or take an action. However, Spotify “may also use and share this data in other ways.”

The “other ways” include using your data to improve voice functionality on Spotify, to develop new voice features, and to help Spotify “provide you with advertising that is more relevant to you. Moreover, it shares the information with its service providers such as cloud storage providers.

As Engadget reports, critics like Access Now recently published about how a recent patent could let Spotify detect details like age, gender, accents, and even your “emotional state.” Theoretically, the streaming app could use this to profile you or manipulate your emotions. However, this is just a patent, and might or might now reach any product.

 

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