Spotify is presently testing a characteristic that might put tune lyrics on the app behind a paywall for free customers, the corporate has confirmed to Billboard.
“At Spotify, we routinely conduct a number of tests, some of those tests end up paving the way for our broader user experience and others serve only as an important learning,” mentioned a Spotify spokesperson in a press release despatched to Billboard. “In keeping with our standard practices, we’re currently testing this with a limited number of users in a pair of markets. We don’t have any further news to share at this time.”
The Verge was first to report on the take a look at.
The paywall take a look at has been famous by Spotify customers within the free (ad-supported) tier for greater than per week on platforms together with Reddit and X (previously often known as Twitter), with some decrying the transfer as “ableist” in opposition to the deaf neighborhood. Spotify didn’t instantly reply to Billboard‘s request for touch upon that criticism.
Spotify builders are starting to check lyrics restrictions for free customers (1.2.19)
by u/Hidden_pool_ in truespotify
With the take a look at, Spotify appears to be taking a look at methods to probably convert extra free customers into premium subscribers on the service, which in the latest quarter reported an 11% enhance in income from premium subscriptions and 10 million web new accounts — amounting to a complete of 220 million premium subscribers. During the identical interval, the corporate additionally reported a 12% enhance in ad-supported income. Critically, common income per consumer fell 3% within the quarter whereas working losses have been €247 million ($272.7 million), resulting in some disappointment from buyers (its inventory has since regained almost all of these losses).
In July, Spotify introduced it could institute a $1 value hike for its premium particular person plan in North and South America, Europe and Asia following repeated calls from buyers and the music business to take action following value will increase by rivals together with Apple, Amazon and Tidal. On its July earnings name, Spotify executives mentioned the transfer would enhance the corporate’s quarterly working losses by means of the rest of 2023.
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