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Tag: podcast

  • Bobby partners with the Happy Hour podcast on new flavour

    Bobby partners with the Happy Hour podcast on new flavour

    Bobby, an Australian soft drink brand, has recently joined hands with Lucy Jackson and Nikki Westcott, co-hosts of the popular Happy Hour podcast, to introduce a limited-edition flavour named ‘Strawberries & Cream.’

    A First-Time Collaboration

    This initiative is Bobby’s inaugural venture in co-creating a flavour with external contributors. The move signifies the brand’s inclination to engage with popular culture via strategic partnerships.

    The latest beverage offers a unique mix of strawberry and vanilla, enriched with a creamy finish, positioning itself as a healthier alternative in the drink market.

    Health-Conscious Beverage

    Each can of the drink only contains 30 calories and is 98% sugar-free. It also includes prebiotics. Moreover, the drink is vegan, gluten-free, and non-GMO.

    Kristian Johannsen, the founder of Bobby, stated that collaborating with the podcast hosts was an obvious choice. She said their vibrant and unrestricted energy perfectly aligns with what Bobby represents.

    Bobby called the collaboration ‘authentically genuine,’ with Jackson and Westcott playing an active part in the entire process. This involvement ranged from conceptualising the initial flavour to participating in taste tests and contributing to the broader brand execution.

    Authenticity and Enthusiasm

    Jackson expressed, “We didn’t just want our faces on a can, we wanted a drink that felt like us. Strawberries & Cream is nostalgic, fun, a little cheeky – basically everything Happy Hour stands for.”

    Westcott added her excitement about introducing a non-alcoholic drink for their listeners to enjoy. “It’s creamy and totally satisfying without all the unnecessary ingredients,” she said.

    Bobby’s Strawberries & Cream flavour is now available nationwide at Coles and Metro stores. The retail price is $36 for a six-pack.

    Questions & Answers

    What is the new product launched by Bobby?
    The Australian soft drink brand, Bobby, has launched a new flavour, ‘Strawberries & Cream,’ in partnership with the co-hosts of the Happy Hour podcast.

    Who were the external collaborators on this new Bobby flavour?
    Bobby has collaborated with Lucy Jackson and Nikki Westcott, the co-hosts of the popular Happy Hour podcast, to create the ‘Strawberries & Cream’ flavour.

    What are the health benefits of the new Bobby flavour?
    Each can of the ‘Strawberries & Cream’ flavour contains only 30 calories and is 98% sugar-free. It also includes prebiotics and is vegan, gluten-free, and non-GMO.

  • Spotify restores free lyrics access

    Spotify restores free lyrics access

    Free Spotify users are now able to view song lyrics for all songs again, after being restricted earlier this year. The company previously limited free users to viewing lyrics for only three songs a month, pushing a paid subscription to access lyrics for any song. However, Spotify has now reversed this decision, allowing free users to enjoy unlimited access to lyrics once more.

    Spotify’s decision to limit lyric access for free users in May was met with negative feedback. It was viewed by some as an attempt to incentivize users to upgrade to their paid subscription tiers, which start at $11 per month. However, the company seems to have shifted its strategy, prioritizing improvements to the free user experience. This change aligns with CEO Daniel Ek’s recent statements about enhancing the free product pipeline based on performance in certain markets.

    While the exact reasons behind Spotify’s change of heart remain unclear, it’s evident that the company is constantly experimenting and iterating on its features. The spokesperson’s statement emphasizes this, stating that feature availability can vary across different tiers, markets, and devices.

    During a recent earnings call, CEO Daniel Ek mentioned ongoing plans to integrate additional enhancements into the free experience in the coming months. These improvements aim to make the free tier more appealing and valuable for users, potentially attracting a wider audience to the platform.

    It’s worth noting that Spotify’s commitment to enhancing the free experience goes beyond lyrics access. The company is likely exploring various avenues to make the free tier more attractive and engaging for users. This could involve introducing new features, improving the user interface, or even experimenting with different advertising formats.

    Although Spotify is still testing and refining its features, the company appears to be actively listening to user preferences and making necessary adjustments to cater to both free and paid users. The recent reversal of the lyrics restriction suggests that Spotify is open to adapting its strategies based on user response and market trends. It will be interesting to see how this change impacts user engagement and satisfaction on the platform in the long run.

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  • Apple Podcast bug means no new episodes for some titles although there is a simple workaround

    Apple Podcast bug means no new episodes for some titles although there is a simple workaround

    Remember Apple’s television ads for the iPhone 3G? The ad would tell you, regardless of any problem you need a solution for, “There’s an app for that.” When you think about it, for any subject matter that you have an interest in, there’s a podcast for that. And if you are an iPhone user, you probably use the Apple Podcasts app. But until recently, the app had a serious problem that was preventing users from listening to the latest episodes of certain Podcasts stored in the user’s library.

    The bug prevents the latest episodes for affected podcasts from showing up as these episodes will not automatically be downloaded. This means that these podcasts won’t appear in the Up Next queue. If the user knows that a new episode for a podcast he/she follows has dropped, the episode can be discovered by looking for the new episode in the app’s search tab. But many podcast app users rely on getting alerted by the app whenever a new episode is ready and thanks to the bug, this is not happening.

    It’s unknown exactly how many podcasts are affected by the bug but complaints on social media seem to indicate that the problem is widespread. And there is the aforementioned workaround. Open the Apple Podcasts app and after tapping the Search tab on the bottom right of the screen type in the name of the podcast you want to hear the latest episode of and tap the blue “search” bar next to the space bar on the virtual QWERTY keyboard. Press the Episodes filter above the search results (which is also below the search bar) and the latest episode will be on the top of the list. Just press the play button on the right of the listing to hear it.

    You might not have to do this much longer because some users say that they are now getting new episodes automatically sent to their Apple Podcasts app. If so, that’s good news. If not, try the workaround until your Podcast app is working perfectly again. By the way, if you don’t have the app on your iPhone, click on this link to download it from the App Store.

  • Spotify enables patron-exclusive podcasts via new Patreon integration

    Spotify enables patron-exclusive podcasts via new Patreon integration

    Spotify is the most recent company starting to offer content creators financial incentives. The music streaming service announced this week that it has added Patreon integration to allow creators to monetize their content via exclusive podcasts.

    Patreon, a membership platform that offers the business tools for content creators to run a subscription service, was in the middle of a controversy early this month when major technical issues led to paused payouts and canceled subscriptions.

    Thankfully for the millions of creators using the platform, these issues have been solved (at least for many of them), so the company can now go live with the announcement.

    Starting today, connecting Spotify and Patreon accounts to access patron-exclusive podcasts direction from the music streaming service’s app is possible. This is a follow-up of Spotify’s March announcement that it’s teaming up with Patreon to allow creators to publish their subscriber feeds to Spotify via its API.

    “Many podcasters use Patreon to connect with their fans, and for the first time ever, they can link their accounts so fans can access and listen to these shows on Spotify. This partnership gives podcasters a new opportunity to reach Spotify’s global audience, over 551M users, to increase their income and grow their show,” said Gustav Söderström, Co-President and Chief Product and Technology Officer at Spotify.

    Patreon integration has been in testing for months at Spotify, as select creators have been enrolled in a beta program that helped them promote and gain new members to their Patreon through Spotify.

    Thanks to the new feature, Spotify users will be able to listen to all their favorite content in one place, while Patreon podcasters tap into new audiences on Spotify. The new partnership feels like a win-win situation, at least on paper.

  • YouTube Music officially rolls out Podcasts in the U.S.

    YouTube Music officially rolls out Podcasts in the U.S.

    YouTube Music has officially launched a podcast feature for listeners in the United States, offering a new way for users to access their favorite shows and discover new ones. The feature is rolling out on the YouTube Music app, both on iOS and Android, and allows users to access a variety of podcasts across a range of genres. The announcement was made today via a YouTube Community post, making the feature official since it was reported that it was in testing phases back in February and announced to the media later that same month.

    With the new podcast feature, YouTube Music is expanding its content offerings beyond music to include spoken-word content. This move is in line with the growing popularity of podcasts in recent years, as listeners seek out new forms of entertainment and information. By offering podcasts, YouTube Music hopes to attract more users to its platform and keep existing users engaged.

    The launch of podcasts on YouTube Music comes at a time when the podcast market is experiencing significant growth and the main YouTube app serving podcasts in the interim. As a listening experience that complements the podcast video experience on YouTube, this presents a significant opportunity for YouTube Music to tap into the growing demand for podcasts and expand its audience reach.

    To access podcasts on YouTube Music, users need to search for their favorite shows or browse by category. New podcast recommendations and unfinished episodes will be accessible on the Home tab where you can filter by tapping “Podcasts” at the top of the home screen. The platform offers a range of categories, including: business, comedy, gaming, health & fitness, music, society & culture, and true crime. Users can also discover new shows through personalized recommendations based on their listening history and preferences.

    Podcasts that were previously available in the main YouTube app will also be in YouTube Music, where they will be available on-demand, when offline, or while casting. You will also be able to effortlessly transition between the audio and video versions of a podcast, just as you can do now with music and music videos.

    The podcast listening experience is different from the music listening experience on YouTube Music in that you do not need to have a Premium or Music Premium subscription in order to access some of the features. For Premium subscribers, note that the ad-free experience does not extend to host-read endorsements or sponsorship messages in podcasts.
    As of right now, Podcasts on YouTube Music are only available in the United States. However, this may change in the future, according to the announcement. The feature is also rolling out gradually, so you may not see it in your YouTube Music app right away.
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  • Facebook to abandon podcasts in favor of the metaverse

    Facebook to abandon podcasts in favor of the metaverse

    Starting June 3rd, Facebook will cease to offer support for podcasts on its platform. As soon as this week, users will no longer be able to upload new content, while Soundbites and the central audio hub will be fully discontinued shortly afterwards.

    As Bloomberg reports, this decision has come to light through a note Facebook shared with its partners. The same document also states that Facebook has no intention of officially alerting users of this move, leaving it up to content creators to do so in its stead.

    Subsequently, a Meta spokesperson confirmed all of this information before Bloomberg and reaffirmed the company’s long-term plan to “focus on the most meaningful experience”. For the time being, this seems to be Reels (Meta’s answer to the success of TikTok) and the still rather cryptic metaverse.

    Almost one year ago, Facebook made the move to enter the (somewhat crowded) podcast market via a plethora of new audio services. It seems this ambition has been short-lived.

    After the initial lukewarm reception of the new services and the subsequent stagnation, Facebook has decided to give up on podcasts altogether.

    The truth is that Facebook simply could not compete with the likes of Spotify and Apple Podcasts without going the extra mile. Both of the latter services have made concrete efforts over the years to solidify their position in the market.

    For example, they have implemented new features, created new ways of exploring podcasts (like Apple Podcasts’s Spotlight editorial franchise) and encouraged creators to produce exclusive content for their respective platforms.

    In stark contrast to this, Facebook instead decided to merely rely on their already established brand name – by all means a huge asset, but, ultimately, not enough. With Facebook gone, Apple and Spotify will reign supreme and will be sure to consolidate their dominant position on the podcast market, this time for good.

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  • Spotify starts serving interactive ads to podcast listeners

    Spotify starts serving interactive ads to podcast listeners

    After investing big in podcasts, Spotify is trying to recoup some of that investment through ads. Starting this week, Spotify users listening to podcasts will be getting interactive ads that the streaming service refers to as CTA cards.

    These CTA cards are “the latest step in Spotify’s vision for the future of audio as an interactive, multi-way experience.” They will appear in the Spotify app when a podcast ad begins playing and will reappear later on while the user explores the Spotify app.

    According to Spotify, its CTA cards are supposed to make it easier for users to directly discover the products and services they’re interested in “without having a hard-to-remember promo code or vanity URL.”

    After running some tests, Spotify claims that advertisers with clickable ads have shown twice as many site visits compared to non-clickable podcast ads. CTA cards will be available across select Spotify Original & Exclusive podcasts in the United States.

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  • Apple launches in-app subscriptions in its Podcasts app

    Apple launches in-app subscriptions in its Podcasts app

    Apple has just announced a major overhaul to its Podcasts app: within the app, it’s launching Apple Podcasts Subscriptions where people will be able to subscribe to premium content from their favorite creators and get perks like ad-free listening, bonus content, and exclusive access to new series.

    Apple Podcasts Subscriptions launches with partners like Pushkin Industries, QCODE, SME, and NPR, and this list will only grow with time.

    The whole Podcasts app is also getting a fresh design with channels where your favorite creators will recommend you new content, and each channel will have unique artwork, titles and descriptions.

    Initial partners with channels include the likes of Luminary, which was one of the first apps to offer subscription-based podcasts.

    As for prices, they will be set by creators for each subscription, but you will be getting a free trial and sample episodes before you sign up. Billing will happen monthly by default, but creators can also offer annual billing if they decide. On the other side of the fence, content creators will have to pay $20 per year to participate in the program, and Apple will be taking a 30% cut of the revenue the first year and drop that to 15% in the following years.

    Apple Podcasts remains one of the most popular ways listeners reach podcasts, not least because the app comes pre-installed on iPhones. However, Spotify has recently made a big entry in the space attracting some of the big names in the industry like The Joe Rogan Experience, and the latest data from eMarketer showed that this year 28.2 millions of listeners in the US tuned in to Spotify versus 28 million for Apple Podcasts.

    The new Apple Podcasts Subscriptions option is launching in an impressive over 170 countries and it will go live next month.

  • Spotify rolls out video podcasts to free and premium users worldwide

    Spotify rolls out video podcasts to free and premium users worldwide

    Podcasts are a thing for several years now, but they only recently blow up. Spotify and other music streaming services are pushing out lots of features related to podcasts, including the option to see the actual podcasters, while listening to them.

    Spotify revealed that it’s now rolling out a new video podcast feature with select podcasts, which will allow both free and premium users to listen to or watch these podcasts. Spotify also highlighted some of the podcasts that will benefit from video integration: Book of Basketball 2.0, Fantasy Footballers, The Misfits Podcast, H3 Podcast, The Morning Toast, Higher Learning with Van Lathan & Rachel Lindsay, and The Rooster Teeth Podcast.

    Regardless of whether you’re using an Android or iOS device, you can watch podcasts by pressing the play icon that usually appears on compatible podcasts. They should start automatically and sync almost immediately with the audio feed.

    The option to download the audio on your phone so that you can listen to your favorite podcasts on the go will remain available. Keep in mind that the video feature will only roll out in countries where podcasts are supported.

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  • Google redesigns Podcasts app, brings it to iPhones and iPads

    Google redesigns Podcasts app, brings it to iPhones and iPads

    Google’s Podcasts app was released two years ago for Android devices, but the Mountain View company announced last year that it will expand the availability of the app to additional platforms, including iOS and Windows.

    A web version of Google Podcasts eventually made its debut last year, which allows users on other platforms to take advantage of its features. Today, Google announced a native Podcasts app is now available to all iPhone and iPad users.

    More importantly, Google Podcasts has been completely redesigned to offer a simpler experience to those looking for their favorite podcasts. The new Podcasts app focuses on just three tabs – Home, Explore, and Activity, from where users can access other features and information about the content they want to listen to.

    The Home tab will display a feed of new episodes and is meant to offer Podcasts users a way to access their subscribed shows faster than ever. On the other hand, the Explore tab, “For you” displays new show and episode recommendations that are strongly related to a user’s interests.

    Last but not least, the new Activity tab shows a user’s listening history, queued up episodes, and download. Also, it’s important to add that Google Podcasts users can now enable automatic download and push notifications for when new episodes are released.

    Google announced that along with the new redesign, it made it possible to sync listening progress across devices. If you’re using an iOS device, you can download the new Google Podcasts today from the App Store. Android users will get the new app this week.

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  • Spotify for Podcasters officially introduced

    Spotify for Podcasters officially introduced

    After a long period of testing, Spotify for Podcasters is finally out of beta. Described as a discovery and analytics dashboard, Spotify for Podcasters allows content creators to track many things like average listening times, episode streams, and total listeners.

    Long story short, if you’d like to obtain more details about the audience listening to your podcasts, as well as grow it based on the data received, Spotify’s new tool is the best thing it can happen to you.

    Besides demographic data and insight related to the audience, podcasters will also receive information about gender, music tastes, country data, as well as listening patterns, and more.

    With so many podcasts out there, it’s more important than ever that you have the data you need to help you understand and grow your audience. That’s exactly what your dashboard is designed to provide.
    The ultimate goal of Spotify’s new tool is to deepen the engagement between customers, as well as allow podcasters to grow their audiences and careers. Spotify for Podcasters is available for all content creators for free starting today.
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  • Spotify starts testing voice ads on Android and iOS devices

    Spotify starts testing voice ads on Android and iOS devices

    Spotify has decided to be more aggressive with its ads and announced over the weekend that it will launch voice-enabled advertisements. They are meant to encourage customers to use verbal commands to take action on the ad’s content available through Spotify.

    TechCrunch reports the audio ads will initially redirect listeners to a branded Spotify playlist or a podcast. These voice ads will only be available to a limited number of Spotify’s free mobile listeners on both Android and iOS platforms, but they required users to have voice controls enabled.

    The good news is Spotify users can opt out of voice ads in the Settings menu by turning off the Voice-Enabled Ads option. Moreover, the app will also allow users to completely disable microphone access via the mobile device’s Settings.

    The voice ads will enable Spotify users to check out the content advertised by saying “Play Now.” If the user doesn’t say the voice command within the required amount of time or says something else, the mic will be turned off and the ad break will continue.

    The voice ads test is live in the United States for free users of the Spotify app and uses the company’s built-in house technology. It doesn’t have a pricing model yet since it’s too early at this time.

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  • Spotify says Apple Music has unfair advantages

    Spotify says Apple Music has unfair advantages

    The founder and CEO of Spotify, Daniel Ek, announced today in a blog post that Spotify has filed a complaint against Apple with the European Commission (EC). The executive says that when it comes to Apple Music and the App Store, the company gives itself an unfair advantage, violating EC antitrust regulations. Ek says that Apple does this through the “Apple Tax.” That is the 30% of monthly subscription fees that Apple takes on subscriptions made through its payment system.

    Ek says that because Spotify is forced to pay the “Apple Tax,” it has to raise its price in the App Store above that of Apple Music. Right now, both music streaming platforms have the same prices. That would be $9.99 a month for individuals, $14.99 a month for families with up to six members, and $4.99 a month for verified students. However, if you choose to pay your subscription fee through Apple (an in-app payment), Spotify charges $12.99 a month for individuals, $16.99 a month for families and $7.99 a month for verified students.

    Apple has released a statement criticizing Spotify for using the App Store to help it grow over the years without making any contributions to that marketplace.” The company refutes some of Spotify’s claims. For example, Apple says that it has allowed Spotify to update the app over 200 times. Apple says it rejected updates when Spotify didn’t follow the App Store rules. Apple also points out that 84% of the apps in the marketplace don’t pay it a dime, and accuses Spotify of wanting all the benefits of a free app without being free.”

    Additionally, the executive says that if it bypasses Apple’s payment system, Apple will limit Spotify’s communications with its subscribers. For example, Ek says that in some cases Apple won’t let it send emails to Spotify users who use the service on an Apple device. He states that “Apple also routinely blocks our experience-enhancing upgrades. Over time, this has included locking Spotify and other competitors out of Apple services such as Siri, HomePod, and Apple Watch.”

    “It’s why, after careful consideration, Spotify has filed a complaint against Apple with the European Commission (EC), the regulatory body responsible for keeping competition fair and nondiscriminatory. In recent years, Apple has introduced rules to the App Store that purposely limit choice and stifle innovation at the expense of the user experience—essentially acting as both a player and referee to deliberately disadvantage other app developers. After trying unsuccessfully to resolve the issues directly with Apple, we’re now requesting that the EC take action to ensure fair competition.”-Daniel Ek, founder, CEO, Spotify

    All Spotify wants, says its founder, is to be treated the same as apps that don’t pay the 30% tax such as Uber or Deliveroo. The executive says that all apps should be able to compete fairly, and Apple Music shouldn’t get an advantage because Apple owns the App Store. He adds that all App Store users should have a choice of payment systems, and not be locked into using Apple’s platform. And Ek says that all app stores should not be allowed to control communications, including marketing and promotions, between services like Spotify and its customers.

    If Apple is eventually found to have violated anti-trust regulations in the EU, it can be slapped with a fine and be forced to make some changes to the App Store.

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