Spotify, on Thursday, introduced the growth of its premium audiobook service, Audiobooks+, for its particular person premium subscribers. Curiously, the music streaming service is rolling out the service for extra members who’re a part of the Premium Household and Duo subscribers for the primary time. The service was earlier underneath trial in Eire and Canada. Now, the Stockholm-based agency is rolling out the premium service in 11 different international locations throughout continents. Nevertheless, the corporate has not revealed the timeline for the roll out in different areas, or whether or not it should ever come to India.
Spotify’s two new Audiobooks+ add-ons
In a press release on its web site, Spotify has introduced that, with its two new add-on plans, it’s increasing the provision of its premium audiobook streaming service referred to as the Audiobooks+. The service, which was earlier solely out there in Eire and Canada, for trials, is now being rolled out to Spotify customers within the U.Ok., Australia, New Zealand, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and Liechtenstein. The corporate claims that the brand new plans will supply “larger flexibility” to its subscribers.
First is Audiobooks+ for Plan Members. Spotify stated that, for the primary time, further members of the Premium Household and Duo subscribers can now hearken to audiobooks for 15 hours in a month. The recurring add-on plan can be utilized by the members by requesting entry for a similar from their plan supervisor, who in flip should purchase the add-on for them.
There’s another choice for individuals who have exhausted their 15-hour quota. They’ll purchase a top-up with a purpose to get entry to a one-time listening expertise with a validity of 10 hours. When their Spotify month-to-month billing cycle begins once more, they may get entry to their authentic 15-hour listening quota.
In India, Spotify at present permits customers so as to add as much as 6 relations, together with the customers themselves, with a household plan, for a month-to-month fee of Rs. 179. As of now, it’s unclear whether or not Spotify will roll out the brand new Audiobooks+ add-on plans for Indians or not, and if sure, how a lot will it value on high of Rs. 179.
The second plan is Audiobooks+ for particular person Premium members, together with Household and Duo plan managers. The audiobook streaming quota is similar as for the add-on relations, 15 hours month-to-month.
Spotify claims that the brand new two new Audiobooks+ plans would supply extra flexibility for listeners, increasing the consumer base to probably “hundreds of thousands” of subscribers worldwide. The corporate stated that the transfer is a part of its aim to assist publishers and authors attain new audiences, on the identical time producing extra income.
That is pertinent as a result of, in keeping with a latest Bloomberg report, Spotify’s first quarter 2025 working revenue of EUR 509 million (about Rs. 5,096 crore) was under its personal estimates of EUR 548 million (about Rs. 5,486 crore). Therefore, the Stockholm-based music streaming service could possibly be aiming to recuperate a few of its losses with the brand new Audiobooks+ plans.