Spotify has introduced the launch of a brand new audiobooks service within the US. The streaming service will supply over 300,000 titles, together with a brand new interface designed particularly for listening to audiobooks. Users within the US will now have the ability to discover audiobooks as a separate part on Spotify alongside music and podcasts of their library, in search, and of their curated suggestions on the Spotify dwelling web page. Spotify audiobooks can be obtainable on an à la carte mannequin that permits customers to buy and obtain particular person audiobooks, from the corporate’s web site. Spotify’s audiobooks can be a paid service for each free customers and premium subscribers.

The Sweden-based firm introduced in a blog post that customers can uncover audiobooks within the Spotify app, and can be redirected to buy them on the corporate’s web site. Once bought, the audiobook will stay accessible from the person’s library. The audiobook listening expertise on Spotify will embody options reminiscent of offline listening, automated bookmarking, pace management, and a person ranking part.

Nir Zicherman, Spotify’s Vice President and Global Head of Audiobooks and Gated Content, mentioned that audiobooks signify a considerable untapped market which though holds a comparatively smaller “6 percent –7 percent share of the wider book market”, it’s rising quickly at “20 percent year-over-year”. Spotify’s induction into the audiobook market will see them lock horns with Amazon’s audiobook service, Audible.

The transfer has been within the works ever because the Swedish audio streaming firm introduced its acquisition of audiobook platform Findaway for $119 million (roughly Rs. 950 crore) final yr. According to the service, audiobooks will stay restricted to US customers for now. However, Spotify confirmed that it is going to be launched in further markets in time.

Last month, Spotify reportedly started testing a service that might enable it to promote live performance tickets on to followers. Concert tickets can be bought by way of the Spotify app and a brand new web site, in line with a report. Spotify’s web site had reportedly revealed that it will promote tickets on behalf of third events, which may embody venues and occasion promoters, amongst others.