Spotify to test full music videos for premium subscribers in potential YouTube face-off

Swedish music streaming company Spotify is rolling out full-length music videos in a limited beta launch for premium subscribers, moving into a field that Youtube has dominated for nearly two decades.

The music videos will be available in beta starting Wednesday for premium users in the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Sweden, Brazil, Colombia, the Philippines, Indonesia and Kenya, the company said, as it plans to expand its user base. trying to base on.

While it aims to reach 1 billion users by 2030, Spotify’s new plan faces competition. Apple Music and Alphabet’s YouTube, which allows users to watch music videos for free.

Spotify’s rollout will include “a limited catalog of music videos, including hits from global artists like Ed Sheeran … or local favorites like Alona,” he said.

In March of last year, Spotify introduced “Clips,” vertical videos of less than 30 seconds for artists to upload directly to Spotify.

The company has also expanded its offerings to include podcasts and audiobooks to attract more customers.

In February, it forecast that the number of premium subscribers would reach 239 million in the current quarter, up from estimates of 238.3 million.

In January, Spotify said Consumers in Europe will be able to buy audiobooks and subscription plans from within music streaming apps from March as a result of the region’s new competition law for big tech.

The move will help the company avoid Apple’s 30 percent fee for purchases through its App Store, which has long been a source of contention between app developers and the tech giant.

Spotify has been embroiled in a legal battle for years, alleging that it was forced to raise the prices of its monthly subscriptions to cover costs associated with Apple’s App Store rules.

© Thomson Reuters 2024

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