Spotify said on Wednesday it is expanding audiobook access to more than 180 markets, with a rollout that will make the service available to more than 750 million users.. The rollout begins on Wednesday and will continue over the coming months across Europe, the Americas, the Caribbean, the Middle East, Africa and Asia..
Spotify said it has more than 350,000 audiobook titles available for the new markets and has expanded its catalog to include more than 120 languages. Users in Spain will gain access to more than 45,000 Spanish-language titles with the launch there.. The company is working with more than 300 publishers worldwide, including Planeta and Mondadori, to increase the number of titles available across markets..
Before the expansion, Spotify’s audiobooks were available primarily in English-speaking markets, including the United States, United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand, as well as Germany.. Premium subscribers can listen to 12 hours of audiobooks in eligible countries, including Brazil, Mexico, Colombia, Poland, Chile, Norway and Peru..
Users worldwide can also purchase a standalone Audiobook+ subscription, which provides access to titles with a 15-hour listening allowance. Individual audiobook titles are available for direct purchase as an alternative to a subscription.. Spotify will add an Audiobook+ add-on for student plans in select regions in November..
The company said Audiobook+ has gained more than 1 million subscribers since its launch last year and generated more than 100 million in annual recurring revenue. No currency was specified for the revenue figure.. Spotify said its monthly audiobook listeners increased by 40% over the past year, while audiobook listening hours rose by 30% over the same period..
In February, Spotify launched Page Match, a feature that lets users scan a page of a physical book and find the corresponding point in the audiobook. The company said 1 million people have used the feature each month since its launch.. Spotify introduced Audiobook Charts this year to help users discover popular titles available on the platform..
The company also launched an artificial intelligence tool this year that allows authors to convert their books into audiobooks using models from ElevenLabs.. Spotify has also begun experimenting with sales of physical books through its audiobook platform in select markets, including the United States and the United Kingdom..
Featured image credit. Tags: FeaturedSpotify
