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Tag: Spotify

  • Spotify Laying Off 6% of Its Workforce

    Spotify Laying Off 6% of Its Workforce

    Spotify has joined the ranks of tech companies laying off employees, saying it is laying off 6% of its employees.

    The tech industry has been especially hard-hit by the economic downturn following a couple of years of breakneck hiring during the pandemic. Spotify is no exception, with CEO Daniel Ek sharing a note with employees informing them of the layoffs.

    While we have made great progress in improving speed in the last few years, we haven’t focused as much on improving efficiency. We still spend far too much time syncing on slightly different strategies, which slows us down. And in a challenging economic environment, efficiency takes on greater importance. So, in an effort to drive more efficiency, control costs, and speed up decision-making, I have decided to restructure our organization.

    Ek made it clear that, like many business leaders, he underestimated the post-pandemic economy.

    Like many other leaders, I hoped to sustain the strong tailwinds from the pandemic and believed that our broad global business and lower risk to the impact of a slowdown in ads would insulate us. In hindsight, I was too ambitious in investing ahead of our revenue growth. And for this reason, today, we are reducing our employee base by about 6% across the company. I take full accountability for the moves that got us here today.

    Laid off employees will receive an average of five months of severance pay, pay for all unused vacation time, healthcare during their severance period, as well as immigration and outplacement support.

  • CES 2023: Spotify Access Coming to the Android 13 Media Player

    CES 2023: Spotify Access Coming to the Android 13 Media Player

    Google and Spotify are working together to improve the Android audio experience, integrating the streaming service with Android’s media player.

    Spotify is the top streaming service, offering a wide array of content and features. Google clearly wants to tap into Spotify’s popularity and features, using it to improve the Android 13 media experience.

    “With Android 13, we introduced a refreshed media player on your Android phone’s lock screen and notification section that allows you to quickly select which compatible Bluetooth or Chromecast built-in devices to play your content on (currently available with YouTube and YouTube Music),” writes Sandeep Chivukula, Director of Product Management, Android. “This year, we’re working closely with Spotify to enable their users to easily switch playback between any Spotify Connect device from Android’s media player.”

    The integration will extend to better notifications that will help users easily transition from one device to another as they listen to their music.

    “We’re also developing a way for your audio content to move with you throughout your day,” adds Chivukula. “Through notifications on your devices, you’ll be able to tap to start listening to a podcast in the car, continue on your phone and headphones and finish on your TV at home. As you move your physical location, you’ll see these media notifications on your phone or other devices asking if you’d like to transfer the audio over to a nearby device. We are working with Spotify and YouTube Music to use these notifications to help users enjoy the content they are streaming, on the most optimal device available to them.””

  • Google and Spotify Partner to Provide User Choice Billing

    Google and Spotify Partner to Provide User Choice Billing

    Google is teaming up with Spotify to provide user choice billing, rather than locking users into Google’s payment options.

    In recent years, billing options within app ecosystems have become a major source of contention between developers, lawmakers, and the companies that run the app stores. Apple and Google have both taken heat for locking users into their payment systems, but Google is now opening that door a bit, beginning with Spotify.

    Spotify was a natural choice for Google to partner with. The company has been a long-time advocate for billing choice, and is one of the biggest subscription-based apps on the market. Google announced the plans in a blog post:

    We’ll be partnering with developers to explore different implementations of user-choice billing, starting with Spotify. As one of the world’s largest subscription developers with a global footprint and integrations across a wide range of device form factors, they’re a natural first partner. Together, we’ll work to innovate in how consumers make in-app purchases, deliver engaging experiences across multiple devices, and bring more consumers to the Android platform.

    Spotify will be introducing Google Play’s billing system alongside their current billing system, and their perspective as our first partner will be invaluable. This pilot will help us to increase our understanding of whether and how user choice billing works for users in different countries and for developers of different sizes and categories.

    Google didn’t mention what other developers it will be working with, but emphasizes this was a first step toward closer collaboration with the developer community, a step Spotify welcomes.

    “Spotify is on a years-long journey to ensure app developers have the freedom to innovate and compete on a level playing field,” said Spotify’s Alex Norström, Chief Freemium Business Officer. “We’re excited to be partnering with Google to explore this approach to payment choice and opportunities for developers, users and the entire internet ecosystem. We hope the work we’ll do together blazes a path that will benefit the rest of the industry.”

  • Google Cloud Issue Responsible For Discord and Spotify Outage

    Google Cloud Issue Responsible For Discord and Spotify Outage

    Discord and Spotify are back online following an issue with Google Cloud that impacted both services.

    Discord started experiencing an outage around noon on Tuesday. Despite the company’s attempts to address the problem, a new issue occurred, further extending the outage. It appears Discord wasn’t alone, with Spotify also experiencing problems Tuesday.

    According to The Verge, the common denominator was Google Cloud. On the company’s status page, a botched Traffic Director update appears to be at fault. Once Google rolled back the update, its client companies’ problems began to disappear.

    AWS experienced at least three major outages in December. With Google’s outage impacting more high-profile customers, it shines additional light on the potential pitfalls of so many companies relying on just a few cloud providers.

  • Spotify Bucks Pressure, Won’t Pull Out of Russia

    Spotify Bucks Pressure, Won’t Pull Out of Russia

    In what is sure to be (another) unpopular move, Spotify has said it will not pull out of Russia in response to its invasion of Ukraine.

    Companies around the world are trying to put pressure on Russia by withdrawing their services and products from the Russian market. The goal is to help make Russia’s invasion of Ukraine so unpopular at home that Vladimir Putin is forced to abandon it. Numerous companies have already take such action, including heavy-hitters like Apple. Spotify, however, is not following suit.

    “We think it’s critically important to try to keep our service operational in Russia to allow for the global flow of information,” the company told Variety.

    Spotify has closed its offices in Russia “indefinitely,” and is blocking content from RT and Sputnik, both of which are serving as propaganda channels for the Kremlin. Even so, some of Spotify’s customers may not be happy with the limited measures it’s taking.

    Spotify has been mired in controversy in recent months, over its support of Joe Rogan, support which has cost it numerous artists. David Crosby even said the company was filled with “scummy people.” This latest decision may lead others to the same conclusion.

  • Amazon Music Set to Pass Pandora For Number Two Spot

    Amazon Music Set to Pass Pandora For Number Two Spot

    Amazon Music is set to pass Pandora as the second-largest music app, leaving only Spotify ahead of it.

    Spotify may be the market leader by a relatively wide margin, but the battle for second-place is much closer. Pandora has been in that position for some time, but Axios reports that Amazon Music will surpass it in 2022, with 53 million people expected to tune in at least once a month. In contrast, 49 million people are expected to listen to Pandora at least once a month in 2022.

    Despite its market dominance, Spotify has recently found itself mired in controversy over its support of Joe Rogan. As a result, multiple artists have pulled their music catalogs from the platform, leaving it in a more vulnerable position than it has been in years.

    Only time will tell if Amazon Music, Pandora, or Apple Music will be able to take advantage of Spotify’s predicament and make some major headway in the market.

  • David Crosby Calls Spotify ‘Scummy People’ As Music Pulled

    David Crosby Calls Spotify ‘Scummy People’ As Music Pulled

    Spotify’s troubles continue to mount with music legend David Crosby calling the people who work there “scummy people.”

    Spotify found itself in hot water over its relationship with Joe Rogan. Rogan’s show has been criticized repeatedly for spreading misinformation about the COVID pandemic, as well as for language Rogan himself has used over the years.

    Neil Young became one of the biggest names to call the platform out and pull his entire catalog of music, but Crosby is being even more blunt, saying he doesn’t believe the company will suddenly develop morals.

    “I don’t see them growing a conscience,” Crosby told Stereogum. “I don’t believe there are good people working there. If they were good people, they wouldn’t work there. They’re not going to suddenly grow some balls and stand against the trend. They’re not going to feel the need to do the right thing. They’re going to keep on collecting money and being shitty to the world. That’s what we have to deal with. “

    Crosby had already sold his catalog of music to Irving Azoff, but Azoff was willing to accomodate him when Crosby told him he wanted his music off the platform.

    “Of course I had to ask Irving [Azoff],” Crosby continued. “He holds my publishing. The amazing and really wonderful thing is both [Azoff’s company] Iconic and BMG went along with it. They said, ‘If that’s what you feel you have to do, we’ll go along with it.’ I was stunned. That is not normal corporate behavior. Normally they go for the dollar and the quickest possible answer. They don’t go for that, they don’t do that. They don’t support a moral stand.”

    So far, Spotify has continued to stand by Rogan. But as the the losses mount, one can’t help but wonder if the company will eventually cut him loose.

  • Apple Drops Apple Music Trial to One Month

    Apple Drops Apple Music Trial to One Month

    Apple has dropped its free trial period for Apple Music from three months to a single month.

    Apple Music has traditionally had one of the most generous trial periods, giving new users three months to decide whether they want to pay for the service. According to Mac Otakara, via Mac Rumors, Apple is cutting that down to a single month.

    The new trial period is largely inline with Apple’s rivals. Spotify, for example, usually offers a one-month trial as well. However, as Mac Rumors points out, the company is currently offering a two-month trial for a limited time in some markets, and is offering first-time users who sign up via PayPal a total of three months.

    There’s been no official statement from Apple, but it’s likely the company feels an extended trial is no longer necessary, thanks to the popularity of the service.

  • Spotify Chooses Joe Rogan Over Neil Young

    Spotify Chooses Joe Rogan Over Neil Young

    Neil Young gave Spotify an ultimatum: Him or Joe Rogan — and Spotify chose Joe Rogan.

    Despite Spotify accounting for 60% of Young’s streaming music worldwide, the artist took the platform to task for hosting Joe Rogan. Rogan — and by extension Spotify — has come under fire for spreading misinformation regarding the COVID pandemic and various medical treatments, including vaccines.

    Young decided he could no longer stand by and do nothing, telling Spotify to remove his music from their service.

    “Spotify has recently become a very damaging force via its public misinformation and lies about COVID,” Young wrote. “I first learned of this problem by reading that 200 plus doctors had joined forces, taking on the dangerous life-threatening COVID falsehoods found in Spotify programming.”

    “I realized I could not continue to support Spotify’s life threatening misinformation to the music loving public,” Young continued. 

    The artist also took the opportunity to promote other platforms, highlighting the fact that other platforms have high-fidelity auto, something Spotify has promised but failed to deliver.

    “Many other platforms, Amazon, Apple, and Qobuz, to name a few, present my music today in all its High-Resolution glory — the way it is intended to be heard, while unfortunately Spotify continues to peddle the lowest quality in music reproduction. So much for art,” Young wrote.

    The artist thanked Warner Bros for standing with him, despite the hit their business will take from Young’s music leaving the platform.

  • Spotify Misses Deadline For HiFi Audio, Gives No Further Updates

    Spotify Misses Deadline For HiFi Audio, Gives No Further Updates

    Spotify has failed to deliver on its promise to roll out HiFi audio in 2021, and is offering no update on when users can expect it.

    Spotify announced in February that it planned on introducing CD-quality HiFi audio in 2021. Unfortunately for users counting on the feature, 2021 has come and gone with no HiFi update.

    The company has posted an update on its community boards, but has failed to provide an updated timetable.

    Hey folks,

    We know that HiFi quality audio is important to you. We feel the same, and we’re excited to deliver a Spotify HiFi experience to Premium users in the future. But we don’t have timing details to share yet.

    We will of course update you here when we can.

    Take care.

  • The Internet Is Broke: Almost Every Major Site Experiencing Outages

    The Internet Is Broke: Almost Every Major Site Experiencing Outages

    The majority of high-profile sites are experiencing outages Tuesday afternoon, with no indication what the cause is.

    According to DownDetector.com, Google, Google Cloud, Amazon, AWS, Facebook, Instagram, Cloudflare, Spotify, Discord and other are experiencing spikes in reported outages. The reports range from a few hundred to tens of thousands of users.

    It’s still too early to know the precise cause, although some sites are already returning to normal.

  • Apple Will Allow ‘Reader’ Apps to Have In-App Links to Their Websites

    Apple Will Allow ‘Reader’ Apps to Have In-App Links to Their Websites

    Apple is further loosing its App Store restrictions, allowing “reader” apps to have in-app links to a website for alternative payment methods.

    Apple has traditionally maintained an iron grip on the App Store, forcing developers to use its payment system, netting it 30% of all transactions. The company, along with Google, is facing increased pressure over the approach and is slowing making changes.

    Last week, Apple settled a class action lawsuit with developers, allowing them to use external means — such as email — to inform customers of alternative payment methods. Developers could not, however, use any in-app notification. Developers and critics accused Apple of not doing enough, and said the concession was too little, too late.

    Apple is now making another concession as part of an effort to head off an investigation by the Japan Fair Trade Commission (JFTC). The company will now allow “reader” apps — Netflix, Spotify and the like — to include an in-app notification, allowing users to go to their websites to sign up. This would have the effect of cutting Apple out of their 30% commission on any subscriptions.

    “Trust on the App Store is everything to us. The focus of the App Store is always to create a safe and secure experience for users, while helping them find and use great apps on the devices they love,” said Phil Schiller, Apple Fellow who oversees the App Store. “We have great respect for the Japan Fair Trade Commission and appreciate the work we’ve done together, which will help developers of reader apps make it easier for users to set up and manage their apps and services, while protecting their privacy and maintaining their trust.” 

    The move is being welcomed as a more substantive step than the previous one, although it still is a relatively minor step. Many individuals already sign up for Netflix, and similar services, outside of the app, and simply use the app to access their existing subscription. As a result, this change will likely have little real impact on Apple.

    Even so, small progress is still progress.

  • Google Offered Netflix Special Play Store Pricing

    Google Offered Netflix Special Play Store Pricing

    Google reportedly offered Netflix special Play Store terms to keep the streaming giant happy.

    Google, like Apple, charges a 30% commission on all sales and subscriptions that happen via the Play Store. For platforms that offer subscription services, such as Netflix, Spotify and others, giving up 30% of their monthly revenue is a tough pill to swallow.

    Some of these services starting looking at alternative payment methods, methods that bypassed Google and the cut they take. The company has pushed back, enforcing the fee it charges — at least with some.

    In the case of Netflix, however, Google offered the company a “significantly reduced revenue share” in an effort to keep the streaming giant happy and prevent it from pursuing alternatives, according to The Verge. The information came to light as part of an antitrust case against Google being pursued by several states.

    In a statement to The Verge, Google said: “All developers are subject to the same policies as all other developers, including the payments policy. We’ve long had programs in place that support developers with enhanced resources and investments. These programs are a sign of healthy competition between operating systems and app stores and benefit developers.”

    Only time will tell if the antitrust case will prove successful. In the meantime, Google’s ability to take a hardline stance has no doubt been compromised by the revelation that it will offer better deals under certain circumstances.

  • A Single Customer Was Responsible for Fastly’s Outage

    A Single Customer Was Responsible for Fastly’s Outage

    Fastly has said a single customer caused yesterday’s outage, an outage that had widespread repercussions.

    Fastly made headlines yesterday when an issue with the company’s network led to a major outage. As a content delivery network, some of the biggest companies in the world rely on Fastly, including Amazon, the BBC, CNN, Financial Times, The New York Times, Reddit, Spotify, GitHub, Twitch, Stack Overflow, Hulu, HBO Max, Quora, PayPal, Shopify, Stripe and Vimeo.

    According to TheStreet, the company rolled out a software update in May that introduced a bug that could be triggered under very specific circumstances. The bug only needed a single customer to have a very specific configuration for the bug to active, which ultimately happened.

    “Even though there were specific conditions that triggered this outage, we should have anticipated it,” the company said. “We apologize to our customers and those who rely on them for the outage and sincerely thank the community for its support.”

  • CDN Glitch Leads to Massive Internet Outages

    CDN Glitch Leads to Massive Internet Outages

    A glitch at Fastly, a popular CDN, led to outages for some of the internet’s biggest sites Tuesday morning.

    CDNs, or content delivery networks, are distributed networks of servers designed to help websites and web apps manage their user load and remain responsive. Fastly is a popular CDN option that helps power some of the biggest websites on the net.

    Early Tuesday, a glitch at Fastly led to outages at the BBC, CNN, Financial Times, The New York Times, Reddit, Spotify, GitHub, Twitch, Stack Overflow, Hulu, HBO Max, Quora, PayPal, Shopify, Stripe and Vimeo.

    Fastly confirmed the issue, and was able to quickly resolve it, although the outage illustrates the challenges associated with so many websites relying on a single point of potential failure.

    “Today’s outage of major websites once again highlights the importance of access to online news and government services, underlining the importance of the internet for day to day living,” Matthew McDermott, Senior Officer, Access Partnership, a global tech policy consultancy, told WebPronews. “Fastly responded quickly to restored the issue but this serves as a reminder that resilience is an important part of digital infrastructure to modern life. Organisations and government bodies need to look at implementing the steps that look to assess, stabilize, improve and monitor to ensure this issue do not pose further problems in the future. Assessment is needed to determine the server’s bottleneck then stabilizing the issue with implementation of quick fixes will mitigate impact to broader stakeholders and users. After this, stakeholders will need to improve by augmenting and optimize server capabilities to ensure it meets the necessary needs. Lastly, regular monitoring will need to be set up using automated tools to help prevent future issues.”

  • Spotify Raising Prices for Some Users

    Spotify Raising Prices for Some Users

    On the heals of its announcement about podcast subscriptions, Spotify is notifying some users they will have to pay more.

    Spotify has Apple squarely in its sights with its announcement it would offer podcast subscriptions to compete with Apple’s Podcast announcements at its Spring Loaded event. Unlike Apple’s subscription service, Spotify will not take a cut from the subscription fee, giving the entire amount to the podcaster.

    Unfortunately, it appears Spotify will be raising prices, according to The Verge. In the US, Spotify Family will increase from $14.99 to $15.99 a month, while Duo, Premium and Student plans will remain the same price.

    In the UK, however, the price hike is more dramatic. Spotify Student will go from £4.99 to £5.99 a month, while Duo will go from £12.99 to £13.99. Spotify Family will go from £14.99 to £16.99 a month.

    “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.

  • Spotify to Introduce Podcast Subscriptions With No Podcaster Cut

    Spotify to Introduce Podcast Subscriptions With No Podcaster Cut

    Spotify is ramping up its competition with Apple, with plans to introduce podcast subscriptions with no cut taken from the podcaster.

    Apple announced some major changes to Podcasts at its Spring Loaded event. One of the biggest was paid subscriptions that would give individuals the ability to unlock ad-free listening, gain early access to new episodes and support their favorite podcasts.

    Podcasters pay $19.99 a year to enable subscriptions, followed by 30% of any subscription revenue to Apple for the first year. The cut drops to 15% after the first year.

    According to The Wall Street Journal, Spotify is preparing to unveil its own subscriptions — with one major difference: no cut taken from the content creator. Instead, 100% of the earnings will go to the creator.

    Spotify has been working hard, and spending big, to dominate the podcasting space. If the WSJ’s sources are correct, the company may have a major competitive advantage versus Apple.

  • Spotify the Latest Company to Embrace Permanent Remote Work

    Spotify the Latest Company to Embrace Permanent Remote Work

    Spotify has announced it will allow employees to work from home permanently, joining a growing list of companies that have made the switch.

    Dubbed its “Work From Anywhere” program, Spotify is allowing employees to choose how and where they want to work. That includes working full-time at home, the office or a hybrid of the two.

    The company is also becoming more flexible with the geographic location of its employees, allowing them to live and work from the city or country of their choice. There may be some limitations, due to regulatory or timezone challenges, but the company is clearly working to provide as much flexibility as possible. For employees that want some office time, but may not live near a Spotify office, the company will help them with a co-working space membership.

    In the wake of the pandemic, companies are adapting to the changing circumstances by offering employees a greater degree of flexibility. Salesforce, Dropbox, Reddit, Twitter, Microsoft and Google have all committed to varying degrees of permanent remote work or flexible work options.

    Employees, meanwhile, have grown accustomed to remote work, and want it to continue after the pandemic. In fact, half of workers would be willing to give up vacation days in exchange for remote work, while 29% would quit their job before returning to the office.

    It’s a safe bet Spotify won’t be the last company to adopt more flexible work options moving forward.

  • Bad News For Spotify As Citi Says Podcast Bet Not Paying Off

    Bad News For Spotify As Citi Says Podcast Bet Not Paying Off

    Citi analysts don’t believe Spotify’s big podcasting bet is paying off, according to a note they sent to investors.

    Spotify has invested heavily in the podcast market, acquiring companies Anchor, Gimlet Media and Parcast. The company has also inked high profile, exclusive deals, such as for The Joe Rogan Experience. Spotify obviously is concerned with diversifying its business from its core streaming music service, especially given the pressure it is facing from Apple, Pandora and others.

    The only problem? Citi analysts don’t believe Spotify’s efforts are paying off, according to CNBC.

    “The cadence of Premium gross additions (through 3Q20) and app download data (through 4Q20) do not show any material benefit from recent podcast investments (that began in 2019),” the analysts wrote.

    Citi has downgraded Spotify from neutral to sell, leading to a drop of 6.5% of the company’s stock.

  • Apple Lowers App Store Fees to 15% For Small Devs

    Apple Lowers App Store Fees to 15% For Small Devs

    Amid ongoing pressure regarding its App Store policies, Apple has unveiled its App Store Small Business Program, with 15% commissions for small devs.

    Since the outset of the App Store, Apple has charged a 30% commission to developers. In the beginning, many developers praised Apple’s arrangement, believing it to be a fair trade-off for handling the logistics of app distribution. As time has passed, however, more developers have begun souring on the fees.

    Things have come a head with Epic’s court fight against Apple, as well as Spotify’s complaint that has prompted an EU investigation. As a result, Apple has announced its new App Store Small Business Program.

    The new App Store Small Business Program will benefit the vast majority of developers who sell digital goods and services on the store, providing them with a reduced commission on paid apps and in-app purchases. Developers can qualify for the program and a reduced, 15 percent commission if they earned up to $1 million in proceeds during the previous calendar year.

    The App Store Small Business Program, which will launch on January 1, 2021, comes at an important time as small and independent developers continue working to innovate and thrive during a period of unprecedented global economic challenge. Apps have taken on new importance as businesses adapt to a virtual world during the pandemic, and many small businesses have launched or dramatically grown their digital presence in order to continue to reach their customers and communities. The program’s reduced commission means small developers and aspiring entrepreneurs will have more resources to invest in and grow their businesses in the App Store ecosystem.

    The news is a welcome change for small developers, and will likely help Apple in the cases it’s currently fighting.

  • Facebook Issue Took Down High-Profile iOS Apps

    Facebook Issue Took Down High-Profile iOS Apps

    An issue with Facebook had far-reaching consequences, taking down some of the biggest names in iOS apps.

    Spotify, Pinterest, TikTok, Tinder and Call of Duty Mobile, along with many others, were all offline beginning Friday morning. The issue was tracked down to the Facebook iOS SDK that all of these apps rely on. The Facebook SDK helps integrate Facebook into an iOS app, and provides access to Facebook Analytics, Facebook Login, App Events, Graph API and sharing options.

    Facebook’s developers acknowledged the SDK was the source of the problem, and worked to quickly fix it.

    “We are aware and investigating an increase in errors on the iOS SDK which is causing some apps to crash.”

    Later that morning, Facebook’s developers had identified and fixed the issue.

    “Earlier today, a code change triggered crashes for some iOS apps using the Facebook SDK. We identified the issue quickly and resolved it. We apologize for any inconvenience.”